WATERTOWN, Wis. -- Two goals from Aaron Jones weren't enough on a muggy afternoon in Watertown, as the Sabercats fell 4-2 in a tight battle to the Northland College Lumberjacks.

It was a "tale of two halves," as Northland out-scored Maranatha 3-0 in the first before Maranatha outscored Northland 2-1 in the second.

OVERVIEW

• Result: Maranatha 2-4 Northland
• Venue: Maranatha Baptist University
• Location: Watertown, Wis. 
• Attendance: 72
• Record: MBU (1-4-0), NC (1-4-2) 

STORY

The pace of the game was high right from the get-go, as both teams created scoring chances in the opening minutes. Northland struck first on a counter-attack in the 33rd minute and wasted no time in reinstating their case, scoring twice more before the halftime whistle sounded.

The Lumberjacks were the better team overall in the first half, as they took eight shots to the Sabercats' three, but going into halftime, the game wasn't over.

Jones made it a 3-1 game just six minutes into the second half. The sophomore intercepted a wayward Northland pass, dribbled around the oncoming goalkeeper, and slotted a shot into the gaping net to give the Sabercats new life. 

The next 20 minutes were a battle, as neither team was willing to give an inch. But in the 78th minute, the Lumberjacks found a way through with a close-range finish from Steven Melendez, putting the game all but out of reach for MBU.

Jones made it interesting just a minute later, though. Mike Davis deflected the Northland goalkeeper's clearance into the path of Jones, who cut to his left before firing a shot into the roof of the net from inside the box.

But the celebrations stopped there for the Sabercats. Northland's defense withstood the pressure throughout the final 10 minutes, and the Lumberjacks closed out the 4-2 win.

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Maranatha Starters: 00-Balyo, 2-T. Holloway (C), 20-P. Holloway, 11-Beachell, 13-Donovan, 9-J. Wright, 8-Davis, 21-Hansel (C), 16-Kirchner, 5-Jones, 12-Greene

STATS

• Jones: Second career brace
• Shot count: Maranatha 9-16 Northland
• Last time: Maranatha defeated Northland in their last appearance back in 1993
• Series: Maranatha trails the all-time series against Northland 1-4-1

OPPONENTS

• Northland competes in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (NCAA Dlll)
• Northland finished 2021 with a 10-10-1 record
• Northland lost to Bethany Lutheran in the semi-finals of the UMAC tournament in 2021
• Northland finished third in their conference last season

NEXT

The Sabercats stay in Watertown, Wisconsin, and take on Trinity Bible College, Friday at 4:00 p.m. Follow along at mbusabercats.com/schedule.