SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Three second-half goals helped the Cardinals push past the University of Illinois Springfield men's soccer team, 4-1, on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Kiwanis Stadium.

The Prairie Stars jumped out to a fast start with three shots in the first five minutes. Freshman Ismael Serratos' (Carthage, Mo.) shot was stopped by the Cardinal's Joe Keevan.

UIS nearly went ahead in the 25th minute on a shot from Serratos. The Carthage native latched on to a ball behind the William Jewell back line and touched it past the keeper but his shot was blocked by a Cardinal defender.

William Jewell substitute Tristan Morgan opened the scoring in the 37th minute after an errant pass near the Prairie Star goal allowed the Cardinals to counter-attack and Morgan didn't miss, putting the visitors up 1-0 with a shot into the left corner. Morgan found the net again on the other side of halftime. The Cardinals' first attempt was saved off the goalline by the Prairie Stars, the second attempt hit the post but the rebound fell to Morgan who made the score 2-0 in the 46th minute.

The visitors struck again just minutes later on the counter-attack to go up 3-0. UIS continued to battle, creating chances as the second half continued. In the 58th minute, sophomore Mac Leverenz's (Danville, Ill.) shot was saved by Keevan, and then redshirt-junior Tyler Stenzel's (Gurnee, Ill.) shot just a minute later rattle the post but stayed out.

William Jewell went back on the attack, winning three corner kicks in a one-minute span but the Prairie Stars back line held fast. 

The hosts got on the scoreboard in the 67th minute when freshman Josh Kowalis (Edwardsville, Ill.) scored his first career goal as a Prairie Star. UIS won a free kick at half field and Kowalis' ensuing kick bounced over the keeper's head and into the goal. 

The Prairie Stars nearly got another goal back just two minutes later. Sophomore Dylan Stockman (Peoria, Ill.) found space to shoot and hit the post with his shot. However, the game was put out of reach in the 81st minute when the Cardinal attack forced an own goal making the final score, 4-1.

UIS hits the road for its next two contests, traveling to Missouri S&T on Friday for a 7:30 p.m. game.