SAINT PAUL, Minn. – It's safe to say the Yellowjacket men's soccer team is figuring things out.
 
Early in the year, against a rugged schedule, the Yellowjackets had a difficult time generating its signature offense. The struggles were punctuated in a September loss to Bethany Lutheran at home.
 
Since that defeat, however, it's been a much different story. Between the loss to the Vikings and Wednesday's match at Northwestern, the Yellowjackets were 5-0-0 and outscored their opponents 28-2.
 
And all that good stuff kept on going for the Yellowjackets Wednesday.
 
The Yellowjackets again scored goals with ease, and posted another shutout, their fifth in a row, in a 7-0 win over Northwestern at Reynolds Field.
 
Jake Kidd (Superior, Wis./Superior Senior) led the way for the Yellowjackets (10-2-2, 8-1-0 UMAC), scoring three times to notch the second hat trick of the 2023 campaign. At the other end Alex Paredes (Mequon, Wis./Homestead) got the start in goal and stopped two shots for his fourth shutout of the year.
 
Kidd got the scoring started Wednesday, netting his first goal of the game and ninth of the year in the 11th minute to make it 1-0. Just over two minutes later the Yellowjackets extended the lead on Harry Ambler's (Reading, England/Little Heath School) second goal of the season. Kidd scored his second goal of the match in the 30th minute, giving the Yellowjackets a 3-0 lead that they would take into halftime.
 
The break did little to slow down the Yellowjacket offense, as it netted four more goals in the second 45 minutes.
 
In the 49th minute it became a 4-0 game when Freddy Watson (Wendover, England/Berkshire College of Agriculture) scored his fourth goal of the year.
 
Nicolai Stokker (Klokkarstua, Norway/St. Hallvard) was arguably the most snakebitten player on the Yellowjacket roster in the first half of the season. Despite having six shots on goal, several of which were high-quality chances, Stokker was without a goal through 11 matches. That changed when he broke the curse during last week's win over St. Scholastica, then he added two more goals Saturday against Minnesota Morris.
 
Wednesday, Stokker stretched his goal scoring streak to three matches, as he scored his fourth goal of the season in the 53rd minute, making it 5-0 Yellowjackets.
 
In the 69th minute, Kidd completed his hat trick, scoring his 11th goal of the year to put the Yellowjackets up 6-0. The 11 goals eclipses the 10 Kidd scored as a freshman, establishing a new career high.
 
Then, at the 83-minute mark, the Yellowjackets closed out the scoring when Orlando Fertleman (London, England/Aldenham) scored his first collegiate goal, making the final score 7-0.
 
Josh Bellamy (High Wycombe, England/FAB Football Academy) had his four-match goal scoring streak snapped Wednesday, but he did register three assists, allowing him to extend his point streak to six straight matches. Bellamy has 20 points on seven goals and six assists during the streak.
 
For the match, the Yellowjackets attempted 21 shots compared to 10 for Northwestern, and they held a 10-2 edge in shots on goal.
 
The Yellowjackets return to action Saturday, taking on Bethany Lutheran in a battle for first place in the conference. The opening kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. at Scheels Field in Mankato, Minn.