The Carroll College soccer team got its first test of the new season, dropping an exhibition road match with the University of Montana Monday evening.

Though the teams were not given any official score, UM senior Sara Campbell found the back of the net off a free kick in the 26th minute to post the only goal in the scrimmage.

The Saints, who graduated 11 seniors in the offseason, are still finding their bearings as they approach their first game of the fall, which will come during the Arno Zoske Tournament at Evergreen State College (Wash.) on Aug. 30.

Carroll will warm up with an Alumni/Inner Squad game Aug. 23 prior to the tournament.

"They started off really well, we've only had a few practices and I think they are definitely meeting or exceeding our expectations of where we want them right now," said Carroll assistant coach Gary Sheets. "They've all had experience, we've had a good spring with a lot of our returners and that helps out quite a bit."

The Saints made it to the final eight teams of the NAIA national tournament last season, finishing the season with a 17-2-2 record and tied for fifth overall.

"I think we're all really optimistic, we have a lot of new freshman," said Carroll captain Katie Martin, a junior. "None of us want to slow down, but I think with a lot of these freshman we're going to have to do some rebuilding."

The two teams fought for control in the match, however Montana dominated the statistics with 15 shots from nine players. Campbell's free kick from 20 yards out was the only shot to go in. Campbell beat Carroll keeper Katie Beall high, with the shot coming in just under the cross bar.

"Sara is a confident player," said UM coach Neil Sedgwick. "She's the type of player who wants the responsibility of taking that kick."

Freshman Kaitlyn Heinsohn took a team-high four of Montana's 15 shots, putting three on goal. Freshman Dayna Sinicrope added three shots, freshman Katie Wilkins two.

Eight of the Grizzlies' 15 shots were on goal though Beall allowed just the one score, making seven saves.

Juniors Grace Harris and Alex Fisher and freshman Vanessa Baumann combined on the shutout. Only Baumann was forced to make a save, knocking away a Hannah Young shot late in the match.

Young finished with three of the Fighting Saints' six shots.

"Being our first match, it seemed like for 10 minutes we were a little shocked getting in there," Sheets said. "When we went into half time we talked about subbing the players a little bit more with the heat, and I think the players appreciated that."

UM sports information contributed to this story.