In a game featuring two teams receiving votes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Top 25 poll, the Baker men’s soccer team beat MidAmerica Nazarene University 3-1 on Tuesday at Liston Stadium.

Sophomore Alex Burton said the ‘Cats came out start to finish and played the way they know how to play.

Baker scored early with a goal by junior Luke Haidarovic in the eighth minute to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead. Senior Gerard Grehan scored the next goal for Baker in the 27th minute with a shot to the top right corner of the net.

MidAmerica looked to have its first goal of the game with three minutes left in the half, but Burton jumped and saved the MNU header as he fell to the ground. Baker went into halftime with a 2-0 lead.

The Pioneers answered quickly in the second half, scoring their only goal of the game in the 49th minute to cut Baker’s lead to one. Junior Matt Germain answered MNU’s goal with a third goal for the Wildcats in the 51st minute.

“It was probably the best performance we’ve had for a whole game,” Germain said.

Each team was given two yellow cards, with all of the cards coming in the second half. Senior Matt Hodges received a yellow card in the 56th minute and Teaching Assistant Christoph Schreiner was given a yellow card in the 78th minute.

Germain was awarded the Heart of America Athletic Conference men’s soccer Player of the Week. Germain recorded a hat trick against Culver-Stockton College on Sept. 24 in the 5-0 win, and scored another goal in the MNU game.

Burton said Germain deserved the award because he makes a difference in a lot of games.

Baker is in first place in the conference, 2-0, and has a season record of 6-2-1. The Wildcats are currently on a three-game winning streak. MidAmerica Nazarene is now 1-1 in the conference and has a season record of 5-4.

“If we play like we did (Tuesday), I think we can play with almost anybody,” freshman Steven Stewart said.

Baker is in the middle of a five-game home stand, with three games being played at Liston Stadium and two at North Park. The Wildcats have won the last two home games and will face Missouri Valley College at 8 p.m. on Saturday at Liston Stadium. Missouri Valley’s season record is 5-4, and the team is on a three-game winning streak.