Washington boys edged by Keokuk on the pitch

After falling behind early, the Demons looked to change the script on their season on Thursday night.

Unfortunately, the Keokuk boys? soccer team had other ideas, and used a strong second half to defeat Washington

5-3.

?We have to keep talking and it seems like we come out tired or relaxed in the second half,? Washington head coach Sally Hart said. ?We need that intensity that we have at the end of the first half, and I think we?d be better off if we didn?t have halftime.?

The loss moves Washington to 2-6 on the season, and keeps them winless in conference action.

Keokuk opened the scoring in the game, taking a 1-0 lead in the fifth minute, but the Demons responded with strength in the next stretch.

A Keokuk handball in the 16th minute gave the Demons a penalty kick opportunity, which freshman Caleb Suchan followed through on, equalizing the

game.

The Demons rode that momentum for the next couple of minutes, with Christian Mejia notching a goal off a Demon corner kick to give Washington the

lead.

?We were really talking and passing well,? Hart said. ?When we got tired, our passes got a little crazy. We lost our momentum and our speed. We need to be able to control the pace of the game, and when it came out of our control, it got out of hand.?

The Demons saw Keokuk nab a goal going into halftime, and that momentum carried the Chiefs into the second half, where they quickly made it

4-2.

Jesus Velasco-Munguia found the back of the net in the final six minutes, as the Demons looked to make a comeback, but the Chiefs answered quickly, squashing Washington?s

hopes.

It was the final home game for the Demon boys, as they say goodbye to two seniors in Mejia and Giovani Coronel.

?They?ve been here longer than I have, so I can?t imagine what it would be like without them,? Hart said. ?What they did today is just a snippet of what they did in their careers here.?

The Demons will look to hit the road in their next contest, traveling to Fort Madison on Monday.