LANSING, Mich. -- On a day with lots to celebrate, the Sabercats got the win in the opening match of 2020.

Kyle Cummins scored twice and Zeke Steuerwald got one as the Sabercats knocked off a revitalized Great Lakes, 3-1, to start the season on a high note.

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 3-1 Great Lakes
• Venue: Henderson Field, Great Lakes Christian College
• Location: Lansing, Mich.
• Attendance: 63
• Record: MBU (1-0-0), GLCC (0-1-0)

STORY

Both teams created chances in the opening minutes of the game, and Caleb Yonker put himself on the scoresheet with a 14th-minute breakaway. The hosts already showed that they were a completely different team from the last meeting with MBU.

But just two minutes later, Maranatha answered. Braeden Hansel sent a free kick into the box, and Kyle Cummins jumped and headed it above the keeper and into the net for an immediate answer. One-one.

Just 10 minutes later, the Sabercats' persistence paid off again. Joshua Wright cut in from the left side and found a wide-open Cummins at the top of the box. Cummins calmly settled it and nestled his 20-yard effort neatly into the bottom corner to give the Sabercats the lead.

Tim Kinzler made two first-half saves, and after out-shooting the Crusaders 12-5, the Sabercats had the momentum going into halftime.

Hansel kept the pressure on the hosts with his free kicks. After hitting the post with one early on in the second half, he sent another dangerous ball into the Great Lakes penalty area in the 68th minute. After a deflection, Zeke Steuerwald headed it into the right side of the goal to extend the Sabercats lead.

From there, the Sabercats closed things out with little stress. At the end of the day, the Sabercats fired 14 shots on frame. Jackson Elms and Johnathan Perkins forced two saves apiece from the GLCC goalkeeper, and Cummins put his efforts on frame five times on the day. At the end of a hard-fought 90 minutes, the Sabercats got what they came for.

MBU Starters: 1- Kinzler (C), 3- K. Elms, 4- Roer (C), 5- J. Elms, 9- Wright, 10- Schmidt, 11- Cummins, 12- Steuerwald (C), 21- Hansel, 22- Hugg, 23- Perkins

STATS

• Shot count: Maranatha 26-8 Great Lakes
• Cummins: 2 goals, 5 shots on goal
• Steuerwald: 1 goal, 5 shots 
• Hansel: 2 assists, 1 shot on goal
• Wright: first collegiate assist
• Debuts: Jackson Elms, Paul Karnes, Isaac Schmidt, Jacob MacDonald, Taylor Hugg, and Johnathan Perkins all debuted
• Series: Maranatha now leads the all-time series 17-0-0

OPPONENTS

• Great Lakes competes in the NCCAA Mideast Region
• GLCC finished last season with a 1-17 record

NEXT

The Sabercats travel to Grace Christian University for a 12:00 p.m. kickoff tomorrow. Find gameday details at mbusabercats.com/schedule.