ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – Elizabethtown's four-game winning streak came to a halt Saturday against stingy Merchant Marine, 1-0, in a Landmark Conference game at Ira R. Herr Field. The Mariners took control after halftime and used Nick Vogel's goal in the 49th minute to deny the Blue Jays three meaningful points in the league standings.

Meeting for the first time, the Blue Jays and Mariners engaged in a back-and-forth between the 18s in the first half. Nothing was close to be decided after a combined seven shots and one corner kick between the two.

None of the seven shots found a way to the keepers, but Elizabethtown's (6-4-1, 3-2 Landmark) Scott Hess and Ryan Somerville did have attempts blocked down by defenders.

Merchant Marine (7-6-1, 3-2) was looking to stop a three-game losing streak that included a pair of overtime defeats, including Wednesday's 2-1 setback to Moravian, a game the Mariners dominated before giving up a goal in the final minute and then falling on Moravian's only shot in OT. The visitors played the second half like they were in need of a win, creating multiple chances near the E-town goal and outshooting the Jays 14-3 in the half.

Not long after the half, in the 49th minute, Alex Maney found himself with time to step into the middle of the field. Maney cut in from the right and slid a pass to Nick Vogel, who ripped a shot from 20-yards out into the lower left corner of the net for his second goal of the season and a 1-0 USMMA lead.

Senior midfielder Kyle Fowler, one of Elizabethtown's strongest players Saturday, nearly tied the game at one in the 59th minute. He directed a shot for the left side of the net, but Merchant Marine keeper Cory Maier dove to his right to make the best of his four saves. Fowler would again test Maier in the 61st minute, but this time Maier protected the left post to keep his team in front.

The Blue Jays, despite trailing 17-7 in shots for the game, had chances late. They earned three corners, multiple throw-ins around their attacking 18 and a free kick in the final six minutes, but could not produce a shot from those opportunities.

Rodrigo Barrera, making his first start in October and third of the season, made three high quality saves, all in the second half. Barerra denied a pair of shots from Jon Tarbox and dove right to get a hand on a Maney shot in the 79th minute.

Merchant Marine moves into a three-way tie for second with nine points after Saturday's win. The Blue Jays and Scranton, which was upset 2-0 by Goucher, remain there with the Mariners, while Catholic is alone at the top with 10 points (3-1-1).

Elizabethtown will venture outside the Landmark to play Penn State Berks on Herr Field Wednesday at 7 p.m.