The Dauphin Mavericks lost their third straight game, Sunday in Dauphin, falling 43-31 to the previously winless Winnipeg Wasps.

Like their previous two losses on their home pitch, the Mavericks held a lead at halftime only to fall behind and lose the contest.

Sunday, Dauphin led 24-22 at halftime, but Winnipeg took the lead early in the second half and extended it as the game progressed.

Nate Yury led the Mavericks with two tries. Shawn Sarkonak, Willi Budzinski and Nick Searle had the other tries, while Budzinski contributed three converts.

Sarkonak, the team’s player-coach, said a lack of cardio conditioning factored into the loss.

“And with the cardio going, especially with the new guys, the brains go, too. And so mistakes are happening. So we literally gave them the game on penalties,” he said.

Part of the problem, Sarkonak said, is they are not getting the same group of players out for practice.

“We have a good core that shows up, but the ones that we really need to be here on a regular basis just aren’t. And it’s summer and I get it. It’s just one of those things that we have to deal with right now,” he said.

“We have three more games to try and correct it going into playoffs.”

All three of those games will be on the road, with the first coming, Aug. 10, in Brandon against the Barbarians.

Sarkonak noted about seven or eight players were in Winnipeg for the U19 team at the Prairie Cup.

“So that takes a lot of depth and a lot of youth out. And then just a couple of other guys that just weren’t able to make it today. A depleted lineup and the score reflects it,” he said.

The Lady Mavericks were to have played the Wasps’ women’s team, but that game was postponed to a later date.

The ladies’ next game will be in Winnipeg, Aug. 10, against the Sturgeon Creek Rowdies.