The No. 4-seeded Beavers slipped up catastrophically Wednesday evening with a 1-0 home loss at Herb Parker Stadium to No. 5-seeded University of Mary in the first round of the NSIC Tournament.

The defeat to their rivals effectively dashed any hope the Beavers (12-5-2) had of making it back to the national spotlight, as they were on the outside looking in for a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Meanwhile, UMary (12-4-2) survived to see another game.

“This is huge,” UMary coach Sarah Cook said. “A great opponent. Crazy conditions. A playoff game where I felt like we really compacted in a shell, countered and made the best out of an opportunity.”

Sean Arbaut/Minot State athletics Minot State's Haley Berryman (18) prepares for a pass in MSU's NSIC Tournament game Wednesday.

With the slick conditions, both teams had trouble putting together quality scoring chances. A total of 10 shots were taken in the game with each team only getting two shots on target.

“We could have shot more,” MSU coach Jason Spain said about what the Beavers could have done differently. “Our through balls either skipped out or slowed down enough for them to get a foot on. We couldn’t get anything behind them.”

MSU junior Ashley Franco produced the Beavers best opportunity to score with 28 minutes left in the first half, as she delivered a low-driven cross into the box on a corner kick. The first defender whiff on the clearance and the ball rolled to the back post before it was cleared off the line.

The lull of a scoreless game was broken up near the end of the half when the Minot State football team gathered around the scoreboard at the west end of the field after they had just finished practice.

Amidst the increased chanting and cheering, UMary scored the lone goal of the game.

Junior Caylin Cathey set up fellow junior Jade Smith from outside the 18-yard box for her eighth goal of the season. The ball skipped once across the snow and past diving goalkeeper Erin Rafferty.

“Caylin did a phenomenal job, she was holding off three defenders,” Smith said. “It’s something we have worked on in training so much. Just hit the frame on a cold night like this and, as long as the ball is nice and low, it’s going into the back of the net.”

During the goal celebration, Smith gestured and raised her arms up and down at the MSU football team gathered behind the goal.

“I appreciate them coming out. It’s nice that we have fans, regardless if they aren’t supporting us,” Smith said. “I wanted them to cheer for us after that goal, but they went a little bit quiet. What can you do?”

The football team, still in pads and uniform, fled to the locker room at halftime.

Only four shots were taken in the first half with the Marauders holding the slight edge 3-1.

“Nothing was going to take away from the heart and grit that this game had to bring,” Cook said about dealing with the weather. “It definitely kept the ball inbounds quite a bit. Made it difficult to play a hard-driven ball with how soaked up it was. But, we made it through.”

The Marauders packed in the defense during the second half and the Beavers couldn’t break their dam. While MSU outshot UMary 5-1 in the second half, they never really tested goalkeeper Hannah Smith.

MSU junior Haley Berryman and senior Kelli Creese each had a team-high two shots. Creese had a 30-yard free kick miss just wide. Berryman attempted to draw a penalty shot in the final five minutes, but the official wasn’t having any of it and called her for the foul instead.

A forgetful night after a memorable second half of the season for the Beavers. They came into the NSIC Tournament riding a 10-game unbeaten streak. But, revenge against their rivals wasn’t meant to be – MSU lost 2-1 to the Marauders in Bismarck at the start of the conference season.

“We turned it around,” Spain said about the season. “But, we were unlucky with all this snow. We were clearly leaning on (UMary) for 90 minutes. It’s frustrating.”

Top-seed Minnesota State Mankato will host the rest of the NSIC Tournament after surviving a nine-round penalty shootout, 8-7, against No. 8-seeded Minnesota Duluth in the first round.

UMary advances to face Mankato in the semifinals on Friday.

Alex Eisen covers Minot High School, Minot State athletics and high school sports. Follow him on Twitter @AEisen13.