SELINSGROVE, Pa. – CUA picked up a hard-fought 2-1 win over Susquehanna on Saturday afternoon to improve the Cardinals to 6-3 overall and 2-0 within the Landmark Conference.  Mike DiMarco and Ian Smith scored for CUA and the defense limited the Crusaders to only six shots on the afternoon.

CUA got off the first six shots of the match, including one by Smth just 2:10 in that went wide.

Another shot by Smith, this one coming at the 24:01 mark was saved, as was Kevin Romano's attempt at the 31:02 mark.

At the 31:16 mark Alex Sagastume put the ball into play for CUA off a corner kick, and 40 seconds later DiMarco found the back of the net for a 1-0 Cardinals lead.

In the final five minutes of the half CUA took two more shots, but Ben Fleri's attempt went wide and DiMarco's try sailed high.

23 seconds into the second half Romano looked to increase CUA's lead but Zach Zoller stopped the shot. A minute later Romano tried again, but once more Zoller was up to the challenge.

Ben Fernandez's attempt at the 48:01 mark was also saved by Zoller, while Smith's shot at the 58:39 mark hit the post, keeping it a one-goal affair.

Smith's perseverance paid off in the 74th minute when Fleri fed him for a score to make it 2-0 Cardinals.

In the 80th minute, CUA looked for its third goal, but Ben Fernandez's header went high.

As the game neared its end, the Cardinals were whistled for a foul in the 87th minute and Andrew Hayes was awarded a penalty kick as a result.  Hayes stepped up and knocked the shot in to cut CUA's lead to one, setting up an exciting finish to the match.

Hunter Horvath took a shot for CUA at the 87:13 mark, but it went wide and Susquehanna was whistled for three fouls and a yellow card in the final three minutes of play.  The Cardinals hung tough and picked up the win though, to improve to 2-0 in conference play.

CUA was credited with 21 shots in the match, to only six by the Crusaders, and the Cardinals held a 7-4 edge in corner kicks.

Torsten Meuschke sent back three shots in goal for CUA and Zoller stopped seven Cardinal shots on the afternoon.

The Cardinals remain on the road for their next match when they head to Washington College on Tuesday evening for a 7 p.m. match.