Panthers pounce past visitors

MT. PLEASANT - It was tough sledding for the Washington boys soccer team Monday. The Demons couldn't get much going offensively and fell 7-0 to a Panther squad in first place in the Southeast Conference.

A little bad luck in the first few minutes put the Demons in an early 1-0 hole. Mt. Pleasant's Cade Warner sent a corner kick towards the net early in the fourth minute and a clearing attempt by the Demon defense was shanked into their own net.

The Panthers continued to put together chances throughout the first half, and that created a chance for the Demons to tie the game with 17 minutes left in the first half. A Panther turnover led to a two-man rush from Zac Stout and Fabian DeJesus, but an offsides call squandered the chance.

'I was getting a little worried there towards the end of the first half,” Panther head coach Neil Schmitz said. 'With the wind and only a 1-0 advantage, I was kind of (thinking) we should put a few more in.”

Mt. Pleasant was finally able to put one on the board for themselves with 10 minutes, 19 seconds remaining in the first half. Nathan Rauenbuehler scored on a penalty kick, kissing the shot off the right post.

Seven minutes later, Rauenbuehler struck again. He sent a deep shot into the left side of the net with 3:03 remaining, giving Mt. Pleasant a 3-0 advantage going into halftime.

The Panthers were able to keep the pressure on in the second half but didn't score until the final 14 minutes. Noel Lopez made it 4-0 on a direct kick just outside the box.

The Panthers scored three more before it was all said and done. Jadyn Vongsavath scored off a Rauenbuehler cross with 8:37 left. Lopez tapped one in off a feed from Logan White in the final five minutes, and Tyler Craig scored off a Washington turnover with just 17 seconds left.

'We're battling a lot of injuries,” Washington head coach Sally Hart said. 'Hopefully as the season progresses, and we get into the second part of the season, things start to turn around.”

Washington fell to 2-6 after losing their fourth straight and are 1-3 in conference play. Washington plays Columbus in a non-conference road game Monday.

Mt. Pleasant is 8-2, 4-1.