MINNEAPOLIS -- Senior Blake Perry (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) scored less than three minutes into the match to give the UW-Superior men's soccer team an early lead, but Augsburg tallied three consecutive goals -- with two before halftime -- to win the season opener for both teams, 3-1 at Edor Nelson Field on Thursday.
 
Perry, back for a fifth season of eligibility, wasted little time extending his school-record, career goal-scoring total to 59. He chipped the on-rushing Oscar Herrera in the Augsburg net at the 2:57 mark to give the Yellowjackets a 1-0 lead. Sophomore Mackie Ringrose (Ewhurst, England/St Peter's Catholic School) assisted on the play.
 
Twenty minutes later, Nick Zuchowski scored the first of his two set-piece goals on the night to pull the Auggies even. Zuchowski blasted a free kick from the center of the field into the top-right corner, past freshman goalkeeper Patrick Sessions (Brighton, England/Brighton, Hove & Sussex Sixth Form College) in the 23rd minute.
 
Camel Htoo gave Augsburg the lead five minutes after that with an unassisted marker, an advantage the host carried into the break.
 
The Auggies kept last season's NCAA-leading offense, which accumulated 101 total goals and 4.39 per match, off the board in the second half and Zuchowski added insurance with less than two minutes to play as he again beat Sessions with a free kick.
 
Herrera earned the win in net, making saves. The Auggies' defense also cleared a ball off the goal line on a shot by Brandon Conklin (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) in the 67th minute. 
 
UWS outshot Augsburg, 16-14, overall and 7-6 on shots on target with Perry posting three. Other Superior shots on goal came from Ringrose, Nicolai Stokker (Klokkarstua, Norway/St. Hallvard) and Karsten Kletti (Vadnais Heights, Minn./White Bear Lake Area).
 
Sessions made two saves in is collegiate debut, taking the loss.
 
The Yellowjackets return to action Sept. 7 against Bethel in their only home match of the month. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m., at NBC Spartan Sports Complex.