ANKENY, Iowa -- All they needed were two first-half goals, as the Sabercats reinforced their regional standing with a 2-0 team win at Faith Baptist this afternoon.

Nathan Campbell and Zeke Steuerwald provided the goals, and the Sabercats executed the game plan on both sides of the ball.

• Result: Maranatha 2-0 Faith Baptist
• Venue: Pyche Field, Faith Baptist Bible College
• Location: Ankeny, Iowa
• Attendance: 151
• Records: MBU (3-10-0, 3-1-0 NCCAA), FBBC (6-5-1, 4-4-1 NCCAA)

It was a cagey opening to the regional clash, as the two teams combined for just three shots through the opening half hour. The Sabercats' high press paid dividends in the 25th minute, and it was the second goal in three games from Nathan Campbell. After Joel Shepard dribbled hard to the endline, he crossed the ball to the middle, where Kevin Risma deflected it into the path of Campbell. Campbell needed no second bidding, as he blasted a 12-yard shot into the roof of the net for the opening goal of the game.

Things kept going the Sabercats' way, as they bagged their second goal just 10 minutes later. For the second time in three games, Zeke Steuerwald scored from distance, as the sophomore launched a 25-yard shot into the upper corner to give the Sabercats a little bit of room to breathe 10 minutes before the break.

The score would freeze at 2-0 until the halftime whistle, and the Sabercats kept the Eagles to just one shot in the opening act.

It was all about locking things down defensively through the second act, as the Sabercats kept the Eagles off the board for the rest of the game. MBU kept solid possession in the Eagles' half and nearly added two more, but Shepard and Risma both had their attempts cleared off the goal line. At the other end, a back line anchored by Caleb Hockema and Brendan Burckart limited the Eagles' damage to just one more shot in the contest. After 90 minutes in Ankeny, the Sabercats had put together a polished team win, as 16 players contributed to the hard-fought regional clash.

• Shot count: MBU 11-2 FBBC
• Risma: third career assist
• Shepard: first career point
• MBU: first shutout win of the season
• Series: MBU leads the series, 5-1-0

• The Eagles join the Sabercats in the NCCAA North Region
• Chase Clark leads the Eagles with 7 goals on the year
• The Eagles hold a regional record of 2-3-1 this season, after defeating Calvary University two times in a row
• The Eagles have outscored their opponents this year, 26-23

The Sabercats will stay on the road for a 1:30 p.m. clash with Silver Lake College on Thursday in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Follow at mbusabercats.com/composite.