Behind the strength of three first half goals, the Case Western Reserve University men's soccer team defeated Defiance College 4-0 in a non-conference matchup at Winsper-Knobel Memorial Field in Defiance, Ohio on Tuesday evening.

With the win, the Spartans improved to 4-1-2 on the season, while the Yellow Jackets fell to 1-4-3 with the loss.

CWRU broke through in the 16th minute with the team-leading fourth goal of the season from senior midfielder Matt Vatne. Vatne stole the ball from a Defiance defender at the top of the box and fired a shot into the top corner of the goal to break the deadlock.

Just six minutes later, the Spartans doubled their advantage. Vatne sent a corner kick back to first-year midfielder Camden Larson, who lobbed a pass from the midfield into the middle of the box. Junior defender Alex Lippiatt was there to deflect the ball toward the bottom right corner of the goal and into the back of the net. It was the first goal of the season for Lippiatt and the second assist of the campaign for Larson.

In the 41st minute, first-year defender Shreas Settles scored his first career goal to give the Spartans a 3-0 lead. Running toward the box, Settles received a leading pass from the CWRU backline. With just the goalkeeper to beat, he fired the ball into the lower left corner of the goal to push the Spartan advantage to three.

Just five minutes into the second half, senior midfielder Sean Atwater tallied his third goal of the season and second in as many matches to add to the CWRU lead. Junior midfielder Jacob Salmon found Atwater at the top of the box, and the senior fired a shot past the goalkeeper for the team's fourth score of the match. Salmon was credited with his team-leading fourth assist of the season.

Senior goalkeeper Jackson Kallen saved two shots in 72 minutes, and first-year goalkeeper Bradley Winter finished the shutout in his collegiate debut. The Spartans have not conceded a goal in their last 247 minutes of play.

Overall, CWRU outshot Defiance 31-3 and held a 17-2 advantage in shots on goal. Vatne led all players with seven shots, including four on target, and 14 different Case Western Reserve players recorded at least one shot in the contest.

The Spartans will next travel to Gambier, Ohio on Saturday, September 24 to face #3 Kenyon College at 3:30 p.m.