Fighting Scots senior Jake Tew (2) advances the ball against the Lumberton Pirates, looking to spark the offense during recent soccer action.
Travis Petty Jr | The Laurinburg Exchange
Fighting Scots junior Tony Nguyen (16) battles for possession against a Lumberton defender.
Travis Petty Jr | The Laurinburg Exchange
Fighting Scots junior Ade Horne (5) pushes the ball up-field against Lumberton.
Travis Petty Jr | The Laurinburg Exchange
Fighting Scots senior Joshua Smith tries to get past a Lumberton defender during a drive up the field.
Travis Petty Jr | The Laurinburg Exchange
LAURINBURG — It’s easy to ignore problems when the scoreboard favors you, but eventually they catch up. The Lumberton Pirates handed the Scotland Fighting Scots soccer team their fifth consecutive defeat on Wednesday, with the final score listed 8-1.
What stood out most was the lack of bright spots, a sharp contrast for a team that opened the season 7-2 with belief in a strong season ahead. After the Pirates jumped to a 2-0 advantage, the Scots showed little fight. The lack of energy both on the field and on the sidelines told the story.
“We have not been playing aggressively on the offensive end,” head coach Jeremy White said. “The guys are getting frustrated because they all want to win, but we need to believe in each other and regain focus. It’s hard when you’re trying to climb out of a slump.”
The Fighting Scots have struggled lately, failing to hold a lead since their victory over Douglas Byrd on Sept. 15, and that trend continued against the Pirates. Lumberton held a 3-0 lead at halftime, and the situation unraveled in the second half as they added four additional goals before Scotland managed to find the net.
“Our weaknesses are showing,” White said. “We won a bunch of games and started thinking about things we could accomplish to set us apart. But we’ve lost ourselves, and now our weaknesses are glaring more than ever.”
Senior Elijah Clark scored the lone goal for the Scots in the second half.
The first quarter of the season has passed with plenty to reflect on, but the Scots (7-7) can quickly shift the momentum with a win at home against Union Pines on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m.
After the match, White made a bold statement: “I guarantee we are going to turn things around. I can feel the season coming back to us.”
The next few games will reveal whether the Scots can turn words into results.
Travis Petty Jr can be reached at tpetty@cmpapers.com or 910.506.3171 ext 2027. Follow him on X @T_PettySports.