NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College men's soccer team went back and forth with seven-time defending UMAC champions St. Scholastica, but lost 5-3 in the regular season finale.

The Knights scored first, as Joseph Graumann cashed in his second strong chance in the opening minutes to put MLC ahead 1-0 just 1:23 seconds after the opening whistle. The goal was Graumann's team-leading sixth of the season.

The Saints responded, scoring twice in the next four minutes to take the lead, but MLC tied the game 2-2 after a Hugo Ugalde-Bemer header off a Josh Koelpin corner kick in the 18th minute.

CSS scored twice more in the final ten minutes of the first half to take a two-goal lead, but the Knights once against battled back as Koelpin cut the deficit in half with a header off a corner kick by Ethan Schultz in the 48th minute. Graumann also added an assist on the play.

The Knights continued to push, especially after the Saints were forced to play a man down in the final 35 minutes following a red card, but were unable to find the equalizer. CSS put the game away in the 82nd minute, scoring a penalty kick goal following an MLC foul inside the box to give the final margin.

Graumann was a thorn in the sides of the CSS defenders all day, attempting seven shots and finishing with one goal and one assist. Schultz added five shots and one assist.

MLC fell to 9-8-1 on the season and 4-3-1 in UMAC play following the loss. CSS improved to 9-6 overall and 8-0 in conference play with the win, which also clinched the UMAC regular season championship.

The game was the final regular season contest for MLC this season, but they will return to action in the UMAC Postseason Tournament. At this time, no date and time for that game has been decided.