BELLINGHAM — Even though he was hanging out on the beach in 80-degree weather in Hawaii not long ago, Michael Klein didn’t really mind the near-freezing conditions at Civic Stadium on Thursday night.

The 6-foot-1 Sehome junior is beginning to fulfill his soccer potential after missing the first five games while getting in enough practices to be eligible following a family vacation to Hawaii.

He scored his third goal in two games to help the Mariners end Meridian’s sixgame winning streak as Sehome claimed a 2-0 Northwest Conference victory.

Meridian (6-1, 3-1 NWC) had been the conference’s last unbeaten team. Sehome (4-3, 3-1 NWC) stamped itself as a serious contender and made the conference race more intriguing while dominating the Trojans, who did not get off a shot.

Both Sehome goals came in the first six minutes of the second half. The Mariners outshot the Trojans 10-0 in the first half, but had nothing to show for it thanks to five saves by 6- foot-4 Trojan goalkeeper Dakota Huntley, who finished with nine as Sehome shot 25 times.

Considering how Sehome’s defense was dominating the frigid proceedings, Klein pretty much put the game on ice when he took a long pass from midfielder Tony Mihovilovich and scored six minutes into the second half.

Three minutes earlier, sophomore forward Andy Mihovilovich scored his sixth goal of the season when he converted his own rebound after Huntley swatted the ball, which went back back to Mihovilovich.

“It was so frustrating (to miss the first five games). I had to get in the required 10 practices to be eligible,” said Klein, playing his first full varsity season.

“I’m trying to think if I’ve ever had a player improve as much from one year to the next as Michael has,” said Sehome coach Jon Fleck, who used Klein as his first substitute. “He’s just a very effective player.”

Andy Mihovilovich noted the irony of scoring a goal that Huntley, his teammate with the Whatcom FC Rangers U-17 gold team, had no realistic chance to prevent.

“I think that’s a first,” Mihovilovich said. “Dakota’s a great goalie. He just kind of smiled. It was probably lucky.”

Fleck, however, said luck wasn’t a factor.

“That wasn’t luck. Andy positions himself very well. He’s a predator,” Fleck said. “His head doesn’t go down (when he gets a ball slapped back, the way Huntley did). Andy just immediately starts thinking, ‘Now what can I do now that’s good?’”

Sehome’s Kyle Balmat effectively marked Meridian star Alex Couweleers, who limped off with an injury with 20 minutes remaining. Balmat, Dylan Marriner, Brooks Kochman and Cole McIlvaine provided what Fleck said was his team’s best defensive effort, along with a dominant effort by Tony Mihovilovich at midfield.

“This was our best match,” said Fleck. “Dakota Huntley played very well. We must have had 10 corner kicks, crosses, lots of everything.”

“I think we’re getting better with every match,” said Andy Mihovilovich.