MUSKEGON – It’s nice to get an early lead over the defending league champions.

But it takes more than a couple goals to gain a permanent advantage over a powerful team like the Cleveland Crunch.

The Muskegon Risers men’s indoor soccer team opened the home portion of its Major Arena Soccer League 2 schedule on Friday with the challenge of playing the Crunch.

On paper the Risers had a slight advantage, because they have played two games already, while Cleveland was taking the field for the first time this season.

The Risers got off to a good start, taking a 2-0 lead in the first quarter on a pair of goals by Aldony Mendez. But then the champs started pouring on the goals and walked away with an 8-5 victory over Muskegon at Mercy Health Arena.

David Jordan did half of the damage for Cleveland, scoring four goals, while Tom Beck added three.

The Risers, now 1-2 on the season, won’t have much time to dwell on the loss, because they will turn around and host the Chicago Mustangs on Saturday night in a rematch of a tight game in the Windy City last month, when the Mustangs won in overtime.

The Risers’ women’s squad will play at 4:30 p.m. game against Grand Rapids before the men take the field.

“It was great to jump out to a two-goal lead, but it’s really difficult to keep a team like that off the scoreboard,” said Risers Coach Ben Ritsema. “Because we had the lead and let them back in, I think it kind of demoralized us, and because of that I think we let a few more in.”

The Risers had reason to be excited in the early portion of the game when Mendez scored his first two goals of the season, at the 1:21 at the 8:47 marks of the first quarter, to give the home team a quick advantage.

But like a giant getting kicked from behind, Cleveland struck back, scoring four unanswered goals to take a 4-2 lead into the second quarter.

Cleveland scored twice in the second quarter, while the Risers got a goal from Brandon Edwards, and the visitors led 6-3 at halftime.

Muskegon pulled within two goals early in the third quarter on a tally by Miguel Flores, but Cleveland answered with two goals, including one when playing shorthanded due to a penalty, and led 8-4 headed into the fourth.

Flores got the only goal of the fourth quarter to make the score 8-5, but the Risers could get no closer.

“The second half was a little more even, and I think we improved a bit,” Ritsema said. “We only allowed two goals, and that was good. We said at halftime that we’ve got to keep them off the scoreboard and create some changes, and I think we did that, but we hit the post a couple times and their goalie made a good save. That’s indoor soccer.”

Cleveland had a 22-12 advantage in shots on goal.