MANITOWOC, Wis. -- Silver Lake College was a match for neither MBU nor Tyler Nelson today, as the Sabercats handed the Lakers a 6-1 home defeat.

Nelson scored four goals on the day as the Sabercats took home their fourth win in their last six games. With the performance, Nelson becomes just the fifth player to score four goals in a game in MBU Men's Soccer history.

• Result: Maranatha 6-1 Silver Lake
• Venue: GoalGetters Soccer Park
• Location: Manitowoc, Wis.
• Attendance: 12
• Records: MBU (4-10-0), SLC (1-6-0)

The Sabercats had to make the most of an undulating playing surface, and they did just that over the course of 90 minutes. It started in the sixth minute when Nelson scored off a well-placed shot into the bottom corner from the top of the box. Nelson scored after being sent in behind the Silver Lake back line by a carefully-weighted pass from Zeke Steuerwald. 

The second goal came just four minutes later, and it was similar to the first. Steuerwald had the assist again, but it was Bryant Sturgill that sprung behind the Lakers' back line. Sturgill took the ball to the side of the penalty area and finished low past the diving goalkeeper to give the Sabercats the start they were looking for.

Just under a half hour into the half, Nathan Campbell added his third goal of the season, and he did most of the work himself. Campbell's initial breakaway attempt was blocked by the goalkeeper but ended up loose between the goalkeeper and the net, about six yards away from goal. Campbell slid in bravely for the rebound and was able to tap it in just before the Silver Lake goalie could recover.

The fourth came from Nelson again, and it capped off a hot first half for MBU. After Andrew Ice sent a bouncing ball into the Silver Lake box, Nelson sprinted in and poked a hip-height finish just above the goalkeeper's head and into the back of the net. Nelson's second came just before halftime, and the Sabercats were on a roll going into the break. 4-0 Maranatha.

The Lakers did manage to pull one back, however, and it was the best goal of the game. Weds Toussaint found space around 30 yards out and launched a left-footed shot out of nowhere that bent into the top-right corner. It was a bolt from the blue for the blue-jerseyed Lakers, and it gave new life to the home team.

The Sabercats had to tighten things down defensively over the next half-hour, as Silver Lake was rejuvenated after Toussaint's strike. But MBU continued to create chances off the counter-attack. The closest Maranatha came was when John Zockoll crashed a shot off the crossbar, but the Sabercats finally got on the scoresheet once again in the 80th minute. The goal had a true double assist, as Kyle Cummins dribbled hard to the endline and crossed it to the far post, where Stephen Roer knocked it towards goal with his first touch. Nelson was waiting right in front of the net, and he directed it into the back of the net to complete an easy hat-trick.

Just two minutes later, Nelson put the exclamation point on his and MBU's afternoon. Roer slotted a tidy pass that set up Nelson for the breakaway, and Nelson made no mistake, burying his chance into the right corner to make it an even half-dozen for Maranatha.

• Shot count: MBU 20-14 SLC
• Nelson: 4 goals
• Cummins: first career point
• Steuerwald: 2 assists
• Roer: 2 assists
• Series: first match

• The Lakers are members of the USCAA
• SLC has taken a 2-3 loss to Lincoln Christian (NAIA) and a 1-5 loss to Moody Bible this season
• This is the first time that the Lakers have faced Maranatha

The Sabercats play their second to last game of the season Saturday at 1:00 p.m. (Parents' Day) against Lincoln College. Follow at mbusabercats.com/composite.