MOSES LAKE - It's been just over a month since Moses Lake boys soccer walked off the pitch defeated.

Since a 2-1 loss to Lewis and Clark on March 18, the Chiefs have won four in a row and six of their last seven matches. The latest victory coming Friday against Eastmont, 3-1.

With six matches remaining, Moses Lake (4-0, 6-2-1) sits tied atop the CBBN with Sunnyside.

If you ask the players, the Chiefs' ascension into the Big Nine's elite was no surprise.

"Ever since last year," Rehn Reiley said. "I knew Davis would lose a lot and Eastmont would lose a ton so they were the two big ones, but I knew we would have him (Sean Cotton) back and (Andrew) Camren back and Adrian (Vasquez) and Johnny (Cortez)."

Friday's match against the Wildcats was of stark contrast to the grind-it-out affair that was Tuesday's 3-0 win over Davis. Moses Lake had its chances early with two shots within the first minute.

Eventually, Cotton was able to head in a Camren' corner kick in the 17th minute to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.

However, the lead was abbreviated as Eastmont was awarded a penalty kick just two minutes later when Moses Lake goalkeeper Grant Bruneel slide tackled a Wildcat inside the box.

Eastmont was able to convert and tied the match, 1-1.

Saul Maciel's goal in the 25th minute helped Moses Lake regain the lead and the Chiefs entered halftime up, 2-1.

The second half was marred by missed opportunities as Moses Lake saw six shots hit either post or cross bar. With each clang, Eastmont seemed to become more and more energized but were never able to notch the equalizer.

Mental mistakes that plagued the Chiefs early on appeared to be creeping back up against the Wildcats.

"If we play a hard team we usually play to there level ... We tend to play to the range of the team that we're playing, but we have the potential to hang with the good teams," Cotton said.

Almost mercifully, Cortez was fouled on a break away which set up a free kick for Vasquez in the 77th minute.

Vasquez curved a shot just over the Eastmont's goalie's hand into the top right corner to give the Chiefs a 3-1, ostensibly putting the game out of reach.

"Took us a little bit, but we made it," Drew Happer said.

It was a perfect birthday present for the junior defender.

Asked if Vasquez's goal allowed the team to exhale, Reiley had a slightly louder reaction.

"It was more of a scream 'cause that was a nasty goal," he said. "It was beautiful."

The two titans of the Big Nine will collide tonight when the Chiefs travel to face undefeated Sunnyside. Moses Lake's improved defense will be tested against the Grizzlies' relentless forwards.

"From the teams that I've talked to that have played them they say they're well organized and they have fast forwards so if our two center backs just shut them down and just press hard I think we'll take them out of there game and they'll start chipping at each other," Reiley said.

Tonight's match is scheduled for 7 p.m.