Box Score

AURORA, Ill. (SabreAthletics.com) – Nathan Thiery made 17 saves for the Marian University men's soccer team, but it still wasn't enough as the Sabres fell by the narrowest of margins for the second match in a row, unable to respond to a 40th minute goal by Aurora University's Xavier Carrillo in Northern Athletics Conference action this afternoon, Sept. 21, at Vago Field.

Thiery took the loss, but not without a fight as he made 17 saves – a career-high and the most in the conference in more than two years since Wisconsin Lutheran's Matt Eisold made 17 stops against Carroll on Sept. 15, 2009.

For Carrillo, it was his second goal of the season and gave Aurora its first conference victory.

With the win, the Spartans improve to 2-4-1 overall, 1-0 in the NAC while the Sabres fall to 1-6-1 (1-1 NAC).

The Spartans earned several scoring opportunities, out-shooting the Sabres 30-4 in the match while putting 18 shots on goal, but they managed to convert on only one of them. Fortunately for the hosts, it was all Aurora needed to come away with the victory.

The Sabres are now coming off back-to-back shutout defeats for the first time since October of last season. It was Aurora which handed the Sabres the second of those back-to-back losses and Marian responded in its next match by handing Lakeland a 1-0 shutout on Oct. 20, 2010.