Boxscore

NAMPA, Idaho - The University of Mary scored three unanswered second-half goals to take a 3-2 victory over the Crusaders on Saturday afternoon in an NCAA Division II non-conference match in Nampa.

"Today was disappointing," commented NNU head coach Coe Michaelson.  "The game really changed when we went a man down.  Sometimes you don't get the result you feel you deserve...and that happened to us today."

The Crusaders (2-3-0) led 1-0 at the half, with Sal Sanchez scoring his first goal of the season in the 37th minute, converting Drew Shidaker's centering pass that found John Stump in the middle of the field.  Stump then one-touched a pass to Sanchez who finished from 30-yards to the upper right corner.

NNU appeared to take control in the 48th minute when Alex Mangeac unleashed a 40-yard bomb that finished inside the high right corner, with Stump earning his second assist on the day after sending the ball up to Mangeac from midfield.  It was Mangeac's fifth goal of the season.  

The Marauders (2-2-0) struck back in the 67th minute when Nikola Nikolic tossed a throw-in into the middle of the box, finding the head of Aaron Boyd.  Boyd's header bounced past NNU keeper Alexander Engemann for his first goal of the year.

A second yellow card was called on NNU's Ben Mangeac in the 74th minute, resulting in a red card and forcing the Crusaders to play a man down for the final 16 minutes of play.  

Mary used the momentum swing and evened the score at 2-2 in the 80th minute after Matt Binegar's hard shot from 20-yards bounced away from Engemann after the save, finding the foot of UM's Ben Bawden for his first goal of the season.

The Marauders collected the game winner less than a minute later when Nikolic converted a 25-yard free kick.  Nikolic took the kick from outside the upper left corner of the penalty box, shaping a right-footed shot around the NNU wall and inside the top right corner of the goal for his third of the season.

NNU mounted a final attack in the 88th minute, and after a UM foul, were awarded a free kick at 35-yards.  As the Crusaders were setting up the play, Mary's Ben Houdek was issued a red card inside the box just in front of the goalmouth.  However, since the ball was not in play, it did not result in a penalty kick.  The ensuing free kick sailed just wide of the goal, allowing UM to take a goal kick and run out the remaining minute of play to secure the come-from-behind victory.

The Crusaders out shot Mary 16-9 overall, with Engemann collecting two saves.  Derek Luptak had six saves for UM.

NNU will now travel to Salt Lake City on Saturday to face Dixie State College in an NCAA Division II West Region neutral site match hosted by Westminster College.