MU Defeats Cardinal Stritch in Exhibition Match

Aug. 17, 2008

MILWAUKEE -- Marquette was victorious in its first exhibition match of the 2008 men's soccer season as the Golden Eagles scored the game-winning goal in the 88th minute Sunday to defeat Cardinal Stritch by a final tally of 2-1 at Valley Fields.

"We're going to have games like this where we have to grind it out," said Marquette head coach Louis Bennett. "We had the worst possible start that we could have had. But if you going to win a game, and you're going to win it in the last three minutes, you win it like that."

The visiting Wolves, a highly regarded NAIA team which also hails from Milwaukee, struck within the first minute when Ben Allen intercepted a pass from Marquette goal keeper Matt Pyzdrowski and followed through with an easy put-back.

Billy Von Rueden registered the equalizer seconds before intermission off a free kick from 25 yards out. Marquette avoided overtime when Nick Kay, last year's leading goal scorer, was credited with the game-winner when he deflected Hector Navarro's cross, back post, into the Cardinal Stritch net.

"Playing well and losing wouldn't do our team any well," said Bennett. "This was a grind today. [Cardinal Stritch] changed tempo and played very direct and very quick. They were very effective and a hard-nosed team."

The weekend capped off a busy, opening stretch for the Golden Eagles and their faithful fans. Marquette has already endured seven training sessions, Sunday's exhibition match and the Blue vs. Gold scrimmage which was held this past Saturday as part of the program's annual Fan Fest activities.

Marquette continues training tomorrow, in preparation for the upcoming regular season its first -- an only -- road exhibition contest scheduled for this Friday, Aug. 22 at Northern Illinois.