ROCKFORD, Ill. — It took four games longer than coach Eric Luzzi had hoped, but when the Saint Mary's University men's soccer team erupted for five goals, it made the season's first win worth the wait.

Patrick Tollaksen (Racine, Wis.) scored two goals and Ross Bowie (Mahtomedi, Minn.), Mike Boland (Lake Zurich, Ill.) and Mike Schmitt (Woodridge, Ill.) each scored once as SMU snapped its season-opening four-game winless streak with a 5-0 nonconference win over Rockford Friday evening.

The Cardinals, who had scored just once in their first four games — three losses and a 0-0 tie — scored twice in the first half, as Bowie and Tollaksen scored less than three minutes apart late in the first half.

Tollaksen made it 3-0 a minute into the second half and Boland and Schmitt also added second-half goals in the streak-snapping win.

SMU outshot Rockford 15-5, with SMU goalkeeper Tyler Nelson (Racine, Wis.) picking up the shutout with the five-save effort.

The Cardinals (1-3-1 overall) return to action Sunday, traveling to Benedictine for a 2 p.m. nonconference game.