NEW ULM, Minn. - The Martin Luther College men's soccer team lost its 2019 home opener to St. Olaf by the score of 6-0 on Saturday.

The Knights started slow, perhaps showing the affects of Friday night's double overtime tie at Buena Vista, and allowed six first-half tallies by the Oles. 

St. Olaf started the scoring in the seventh minute, and then picked up steam as the half went on. They added goals in the 21st, 28th and 35th minutes, and then scored two quick tallies in the final minutes of the first half to take a commanding 6-0 lead.

MLC was able to get a number of young players their first action of the season in the second half, and the team held the Oles without a goal in the final 45 minutes, but the damage done in the first half was too much to overcome.

Keeper Josiah Mittelstadt was strong in goal despite the six scores allowed. He stopped 12 shots and made several sprawling stops early in the game to keep the Knights in the game.

MLC fell to 0-1-1 on the season in defeat. St. Olaf improved to 2-0-0 with the win.

The Knights will return to action on Monday, September 2, when they host Nebraska Christian College in a game scheduled to start at 1 p.m.