HELENA, Mont. – Jose Mena scored a pair of goals, and Bernhardt Di Cino tallied his second consecutive shutout to lead Carroll College to a 2-0 win over Providence in a physical contest Sunday at Nelson Stadium.
 
The Saints attacked early, but couldn't capitalize until the 20th minute when Mena received a through ball from Isaac Bostrom; he sent the ball far post to put the Saints up 1-0.
 
The Saints outshot Providence 10-5 in the first half but were unable to put the ball in the net until after Mena again found the net in the second half.
 
Before the break UP's George Holloway received a yellow card, then a red card less than 15 seconds apart from each other and the Argos would have to play the entire second half a man down.
 
In the second half, Mena would again find the net. He received a ball off of a header from Braden Wall on a Providence corner kick. He dribbled the ball past two defenders and beat the keeper near post to put the Saints up 2-0.
 
"He rose to the occasion today," head coach Doug Mello said. "I put him on top against the College of Idaho and the way he played and created chances for inspired me to play him there again and it worked out well for us. We kept him close to goal and let him be cheeky and create a little bit without having to take someone on from 60 yards away from the goal."
 
The Saints withstood a furious onslaught in the second half from the Argos, but Di Cino battled and made saves. Late in the second half, the Argos pressed, and Di Cino slipped, but Jonathon Taylor stepped up to kick the ball off of the line to preserve the shutout.
 
"Bernie is stepping up," Mello said. "He entered the season with an injury that he sustained in the summer and had to fight his way back into the lineup. I think he became determined to take his spot back and right now, he is playing the best soccer that he has played since he came here."
 
The game was physical with 17 fouls and eight cards between the two teams.
 
"This is a game that we can set our season on, a game that can turn things around," Mello said. "With these guys in a similar position in the conference coming into today, It would have been tough drop this one, our guys fought hard and deserved the win."
 
Carroll Hosts Northwest University Friday, Oct. 20, in the first of four remaining games for the Saints.