ANDERSON, S.C. - Using a three-goal scoring outburst early in the second half, the Anderson men's soccer team topped league-leading and 13th-ranked Mars Hill, 4-2, in South Atlantic Conference play Saturday afternoon at Trojan Stadium.

"This was a good test because they are a great team," said Anderson head coach Rob Miller. "I thought we played with confidence and played as a team."

Anderson (7-4-1, 2-2 SAC) handed Mars Hill (9-1-1, 4-1-1 SAC) its first setback of the season en route to winning its third consecutive match and fourth in their last five outings.

Mars Hill junior midfielder Giovanni Malnati scored the first of his two goals on the afternoon in the 15th minute to give the Lions, who are ranked first in the Southeast Region, an early 1-0 edge.

The two teams battled on even terms over the next 35 minutes before AU sophomore Ben Jones found teammate Zach Denson open in the left corner of the box and the 5-foot-9 defender lofted the left-footed attempt just over the outstretched hands of MHC net-minder Zac Scott to even the score with just more than five minutes remaining the in the first half. The score was Denson's second of the season.

The Lions' struck first in the second frame, when Malnoti collected his second goal of the contest just five minutes into the half. Mars Hills' Rury Caulfield's attempt bounced off the goalpost, with Malnati controlling the deflection and putting the ball between the pipes at the 50:02 mark.

But the upset-minded Trojans responded with three unanswered goals over the next 14-plus minutes to secure the win. AU senior midfielder Adrien Moufflet worked from the right corner of the box and with Scott's view obstructed, he was able to get the ball in the left side of the net from 25 yards out in the 52nd minute for his third goal of the 2010 campaign.

Sophomore Clement Samson followed nine minutes later with his second game-winning score of the season when he corralled a shot that Scott was unable to handle and put the ball in the back of the net.

Less than four minutes later, AU junior Ryan Messick dribbled into the right corner of the box and found Jones racing in from the left side, with the Cincinnati, Ohio, native wrapping up the scoring in the 65th minute.

Senior Benjamin Pepion earned the win for the Trojans, while Scott absorbed the loss. Scott collected seven saves on the afternoon, while Pepion garnered two saves. AU's Samson recorded a match-high six shots and Denson notched four.

AU held a 19-8 advantage in shots, while Mars Hill recorded five corner kicks to AU's four.

Anderson closes out its four-match homestand when Brevard invades Trojan Stadium on Tuesday for a SAC contest with kick-off scheduled for 2 p.m.