SAN ANTONIO – St. Edward's men's soccer team staged a furious rally in the final 10 minutes of its match against St. Mary's but fell short 2-1 for its first conference loss. 
 
Both teams exchanged two shots each early, though none were on goal until the Rattlers broke through in the 39th minute when Sofian Maghouz triggered a free kick and found Luke Mulkey for a header into the top right corner for the lead 1-0 lead at the break. 
 
St. Mary's carried a 5-2 shot advantage into the half and extended its lead early in the second when the Hilltoppers were called for a foul in the box, giving Gael Gallegos a penalty kick and goal for the 2-0 lead. 
 
SHUNJI WATANABE entered the game after and immediately put two shots on goal, stopped by St. Mary's keeper Johnny Thurbin. The Hilltoppers kept the pressure up and sent a barrage of shots at the Rattlers, with Thurbin stopping JETHRO VOURJOLO's attempt and JASON LYONS missing off the top woodwork. 
 
Watanabe kept the pressure up, putting a shot on goal in the 70th minute and breaking through in the 81st minute. St. Edward's earned a corner, and Thurbin blocked the Hilltoppers' initial attempt, but Watanabe headed in the rebound for the score. 
 
He had a chance for an equalizer on a pass from Vourjolo a few minutes later, but Thurbin got his hand up just in time to deflect it over the post. PABLO ZAVALA had another look out of a corner, but Thurbin again made the deflection, and St. Mary's cleared the ensuing corner kick. 
 
St. Edward's earned a final corner in the closing seconds but couldn't head the ball toward the goal as time expired. Watanabe led St. Edward's with seven shots, putting five on goal. Thurbin had seven saves in the second half.  
 
The Hilltoppers drop to 3-4-3 with a 1-1-2 conference record. St. Edward's will host Texas A&M International on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. for its annual Pink Out and Breast Cancer Awareness game.