NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College men's soccer team was unable to overcome a slow start in a 4-3 loss to Bethany Lutheran College on Wednesday.

The Vikings jumped out to a great start, scoring in the third and fifth minutes to take an early 2-0 lead. 

The Knights responded, scoring a pair of goals 1:33 apart in the 26th and 27th minutes to tie the game. Elijah Kroll started the scoring for MLC with his third goal of the seaosn, and Aaron Markgraf tied the game with his firfth off assists from Aaron Swanson and Josh Koelpin.

The Vikings continued to press, however, and scored goals in the 30th and 34th minutes to take a 4-2 lead into the half.

MLC controlled much of the second half, outshooting the Vikings 13-5. Swanson pulled the Knights within one in the 58th minute with his seventh goal of the season, but the Knights were unable to come up with an equalizer the rest of the way.

Swanson and Markgraf led MLC with six shots apiece, with Swanson hitting the post one two shots in the game to go with his goal. 

Caleb King stopped four of the eight shots he faced in goal for MLC.

The Knights fell to 4-4 on the season and 1-2 in UMAC play in defeat, while BLC improved to 1-5-2 overall and 1-1-1 in league games.

MLC will return to action on Saturday, September 26, when it hosts Northwestern. That game is scheduled to start at 2 p.m.