Panther boys fall to Trojans in conference road game

BY JOSH DILLON

Golden Triangle News Service

FAIRFIELD ? Solomon Constant scored two goals for the Trojans and Shawn Spurrier added a third as Fairfield defeated the Panthers 3-0 in Trojan Stadium on Thursday night.

The weather conditions weren?t perfect, but each team had their opportunities. After Constant?s first goal, the Panthers pressured the Trojans? defense to make a play, and after a shot attempt went off the legs of Fairfield keeper Robert Cupp, the Trojan senior lunged and stopped it inches shy of a game-tying tally.

?You know, we tell the guys all the time, ?Every shot doesn?t have to be perfect, just put it on goal and give it a chance,? said Mt. Pleasant head coach Neil Schmitz. ?That was a perfect example of the keeper taking his eye off the ball, it took a funny bounce and could have easily gone in. Tonight, we had some good possessions, like we did the first time we played them and had chances to score, but we just couldn?t capitalize.

?Other than letting up after they got the third goal, I thought we played well tonight.?

Mt. Pleasant?s freshman goalkeeper Nathan Rauenuehier may have allowed three goals, but it could have been much worse as the Trojans battered him with some very tough shots throughout the night. Constant?s second goal of the game had enough force to break the back net and Spurrier?s shot came off a corner kick by Brayden Miller that was just out of his outstretched arms.

?Nathan?s a phenomenal keeper,? said Schmitz. ?That was my biggest concern at the start of the season. Who was going to play in goal? I didn?t know he was coming out. All it took was a couple plays in practice and I said the goalie position is resolved. He does a great job for us back there and he?ll be amazing in a couple more years. I consider him now to be one of the top keepers in the conference.

?We?re very happy with him, he?s so quick, reads the ball well and for the first time in a long time, we have a guy who we can play the ball back to.?

The loss drops Mt. Pleasant to 2-5 on the season and the Panthers will look to recollect themselves and end their five-game road trip with a game in Albia tonight (Friday).

?I think we?re playing well,? said Schmitz. ?We?re continuing to improve, our possessions look good, we just need to capitalize on our goal opportunities. If we score some goals, we?ll be in a good place.?