DEFIANCE. Ohio - After having to settle for a tie on a late goal in its opener, the Midway men's soccer team left no doubt in its return to the field Saturday, dominating from the start in a 7-0 win at Defiance (Ohio).

The Eagles got first-year head coach Stu Riddle his first win with the program by taking control early, with Brayden Gillman scoring just 2:59 into the game.

The star of the afternoon was Rhys Dickson, who scored the next two goals en route to finishing the day with a hat trick.

Dickson scored in the 11th and 35th minutes to give Midway a 3-0 lead, then scored the day's final goal with just under 10 minutes to play.

Just 1:22 after his second goal, Dickson added an assist on a pass to Elijah Orren. Orren would record his second goal just 26 second before halftime.

George Spencer, who assisted on Dickson's first goal, added a goal of his own in the 51st minute. 

The seven goals are tied for the third most a Midway team has ever scored in a game, while Dickson's hat trick was the ninth in the history of the program. 

The defense was strong as well, with transfer Landon Sorrell recording four saves and a shutout in his first start with the Eagles.

Now 1-0-1, Midway returns to action with its home opener against Cleary (Mich.) at 1 p.m. on Thursday.

The Eagles, who opened the year with a 2-2 tie against Georgetown, were originally slated to face the Tigers in a rematch on Tuesday, but the match was canceled.