FAIRMONT – Four different Fairmont Area netted goals in the Cardinals’ 6-4 win over the Mankato Loyola Crusaders during Big South Conference soccer action Tuesday at Kot Soccer Complex.

“My hat’s off to them for staying positive and focused out there during the game with all the calls and how the game went with goals being scored,” Cardinal head coach Brady Meyer said in reference to an intense first half that featured multiple yellow cards and Crusaders head coach Peter Redlich getting ejected. “They kept their heads up and kept going.”

The last time the two competed, the Cardinals won, 3-2, in Mankato.

“We’re about midway through the season now. We’re seeing a lot of teams we’ve seen before again, so hopefully we do better like we did this time against Loyola and continue to improve,” Meyer said.

Noah Becker was the first Cardinal to reach the scoring column, heading in a goal on Thomas Havnen’s inbounds throw from the right wing. Becker had attempted a goal less than a minute before his successful shot, but Crusaders goalie Isaiah Lacina caught the ball.

Eight minutes later, the two connected again to put the Cardinals up 2-0 with 27 minutes to go in the half.

The Cardinals then had two errors that enabled the Crusaders to tie the game. After a collision with Leyton Becker, Zan Raverty netted a penalty kick. Raverty had to redo the kick after a line violation and knocked the ball in again with 8:35 to go.

Cardinals goalie Jarrod Daniel came out of the box, allowing the Crusaders a direct kick. Raverty was given the kicking duty and put the score in to knot the game at 2-all.

The Cardinals broke the tie five minutes before halftime. Noah Becker switched from scoring to assisting, finding Matthew Anderson for a score to earn a 3-2 lead going into the second half.

Noah Becker passed again to Anderson, who sent the ball down the middle, barely escaping Lacina’s reach at the 38:19 mark to start the second half.

“He’s got quite some power there in a little package. He’s probably one of the smallest guys on our team, but he powered two goals through the goalie,” Meyer said about Anderson. “For a little guy, he’s pretty aggressive, too, so he’s not afraid to get in there. We saw him get pushed a few times into the grass, but he popped right back up.”

Zan Raverty curved in a direct kick three minutes later to bring the Crusaders within one. Jack Raverty tied the game after rebounding his blocked shot with 31:06 remaining in the final frame.

The Cardinals responded less than a minute later to regain their lead. Cameron Militello angled a pass to Havnen, who netted the goal for a 5-4 advantage.

With 19:10 to go in the half, Noah Becker doled out an assist to Abram Sanchez, who headed in the goal. Although Hugo Arvizu tried to widen the Cardinals’ lead with less than a minute left, his attempt was too high.

“It was all around a really good team effort,” Meyer said. “Our backs, both (Dominic Armitage) and Leyton led that back. Jarrod did an excellent job with coordinating the defense and also the midfields, too. Noah did an awesome job making sure that our forwards were working together as well.

“All around, everyone worked hard and it paid off.”

The Cardinals netted six of 14 shots on goal, with Daniel recording seven saves in the win.

Fairmont Area (4-3) hosts Waseca at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Loyola 2-2-4

Fairmont 3-3-6

SCORING PLAYS

1st Half

F-Noah Becker (Thomas Havnen), 35:13.

F-Noah Becker (Thomas Havnen), 27:40.

ML-Zan Raverty (penalty), 11:48.

ML-Zan Raverty (direct kick), 8:35.

F-Matthew Anderson (Noah Becker), 5:07.

2nd Half

F-Matthew Anderson (Noah Becker), 38:19.

ML-Zan Raverty (direct kick), 35:30.

ML-Jack Raverty (unassisted), 31:06.

F-Thomas Havnen (Cameron Militello), 30:33.

F-Abram Sanchez (Noah Becker), 19:10.

Saves: Isaiah Lacina (ML) 11-11-22; Jarrod Daniel (FA) 5-2-7.

Shots on goal: Fairmont Area 14-14-28; Mankato Loyola 7-4-11.

Girls Soccer

Mankato Loyola 4, Fairmont Area 2 – Jenna Helget produced a hat trick to help the Crusaders double the score on the Cardinals during Big South Conference action Tuesday in Mankato.

Brooke Hunwardsen reached the scoreboard first in the game, converting Lindsey Miles’ assist into a 1-0 Fairmont Area lead at the 10:38 mark of the first half.

Helget then delivered back-to-back in a span of 26 seconds to swing a 2-1 lead to Loyola by halftime.

Sidney Botker found the back of the net at the 35:14 mark of the second half to extend the lead to 3-1.

Hunwardsen then cashed in Mikayla Stradtman’s assist for Fairmont Area’s second goal of the contest at the 32:10 mark.

Helget added an insurance goal – her third of the game – with a mere 49 seconds remaining in regulation.

Netminder Haley Burmeister stopped 14 shots for Fairmont Area (3-4-1), who travels to Waseca on Thursday night.