The University of Wisconsin Superior needed a confidence boost after going without a score in five-of-six matches to start the season, and the Yellowjackets broke through with a 6-0 victory, their first of the season, against Bethany Lutheran College as the team opened its Upper Midwest Athletic Conference season at the Yellowjacket Soccer Complex in Superior on Saturday.

The third time was the charm for UW-Superior (1-6-0, 1-0-0 UMAC) when it came to penalty kicks as sophomore midfielder Danny Kearns (Greenock, Scotland/Clydeview Academy) ricocheted a ball off the crossbar and in to put the Yellowjackets up early after just 2:01 ticked off the clock. Sophomore midfielder Mualigbe Keita (Brooklyn Park, Minn./Prairie Seeds Academy) added his first score of the season, an unassisted tally off a rebound just over ten minutes later at the 13:40 mark of the first game.

UW-Superior was not done there, as the Yellowjackets expanded thie lead out to 5-0 in the first half. Senior forward Gio Rodriguez (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif./Los Osos H.S.) came away from a scrum in front of the net and scored his first of the year at the 28:06 mark of the period, and junior forward Jon Bucklew (Somerset, Wis./Somerset H.S.) added his first just four minutes later with an assist from Ryan Wisdom (Hayward, Wis./Hayward). Senior midfielder Ryan Linsmayer (Dresser, Wis./Osceola) was the first 'Jacket with multiple goals on the year, as Bucklew and Wisdom assisted on a two-touch score behind the the keeper to put UWS up by five over Bethany Lutheran (0-8-0, 0-2-0 UMAC).

Sophomore defender Harry Simpson (Derby, England/Derby Moor C.C.) tallied the final goal of the afternoon, his first of the year, in the 77th minute with an assist from Kearns. The Yellowjackets out-shot the Vikings 23-5 but Bethany's Matt Bitter made 13 saves on the day. UW-Superior senior Ben Wilhelm (Stillwater, Minn./Stillwater Area H.S.) and sophomore Josh Herd (Hamilton, Scotland/Calderside Academy) combined on the shutout, each making one save for UWS.

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The Yellowjackets will travel to Ashland, Wisconsin on Wednesday to take on UMAC rival Northland College. Opening kick is set for 4:15 p.m. following the women's contest.