DECATUR, Ill. – Millikin (Ill.) University erupted for six first-half goals and the Lakeland University men's soccer team finished a two-game Labor Day weekend road swing with an 8-2 loss Monday evening at Lindsay Field.

The Muskies received goals from Nwachan (Ayoko) Nda (Sr.-Douala Litoral Region, Cameroon) and Charles Apostolik (So.-New Castle, Colo.) but could recover from an early outburst by the hosts and dropped to 0-3 this season.

Millikin (2-0 overall) dealt Lakeland a blow early, scoring two goals nine seconds apart to take a 2-0 lead just 1:16 into the match. Nicholas Hatfield scored first, cleaning up after a throw-in was originally stopped by goalkeeper Bradley Stoeckel (Fr.-Sturgeon Bay, Wis.), and Ivan Lopez followed just nine seconds later after the Big Blue intercepted shortly after the kickoff, pushed down the left side and scored from the wing.

Lopez scored again just over six minutes later to give Millkin a 3-0 lead just 7:25 into the match. The Muskies got on the board soon after, though, as Nda converted from the left wing with an assist from Renan Asato (Sr.-Sao Paolo, Brazil).

The Big Blue continued to pressure, though, and scored three more times in the half. Taylor Austin, Gabriel Gil and Tucker Mathieson all scored, Austin off a corner kick by Michael Longo and both Gil and Mathieson unassisted, and Millikin led 6-1 at the half.

The hosts added two more goals early in the first half by Longo and Ben Spelman and led 8-1 in the 63rd minute. Apostolik scored the Muskies' final goal at 74:22, firing from 20 yards out for an unassisted goal.

Stoeckel made five saves in goal, while Trevor Creek and Isaac Hopper combined to save four shots for Millikin. The Big Blue held a 24-10 shot advantage, while Apostolik led Lakeland with four shot attempts.

The Muskies are back home Thursday when they face Ripon College on the campus field at 4:30 p.m.