Breaking down where it went wrong for the Scots

LAURINBURG — The Fighting Scots soccer season has taken a turn for the worse, with the team struggling to regain its momentum. During their two home games this week against Cape Fear and Gray’s Creek, the Scots once again suffered defeats, mirroring the outcomes of previous matches.

Here are three things that have stood out during Scotland’s recent struggles.

Energy level

You can see it from the sidelines; the Scots’ energy level simply isn’t there. When you start losing games the way Scotland has, it begins to take a toll. This is the same team that was one of the hottest at the start of the season, but the true test of a team is how it responds when adversity hits. So far, Scotland hasn’t handled it well. During games, the energy level on the sidelines feels lifeless; whether it’s a tie score or the Scots are leading, there’s no juice, no fire. In sports, your bench is your hype crew, your heartbeat. Currently, the Scots don’t have a pulse.

Lack of Offense

In the early portion of the season, the Scots offense was clicking on all cylinders. Freshman Nathan Ward emerged as one of the top goal scorers in the conference, receiving support from sophomores Dakota Locklear and Braden Smith. From Aug. 19 to Sept. 15, the Scots won seven of their first nine games, which included an impressive seven-game winning streak. During that stretch, the Scots offense outscored opponents 51-16 and would have a 7-2 record.

Fast-forward to the second half of the season, and the scoring has dipped. From Sept. 17 to Oct. 8, Scotland has dropped nine straight games, being outscored 41-10 and falling to a 7-11 record. Nathan Ward has not performed at his usual level, scoring only one goal. Meanwhile, sophomores Dakota Locklear and Braden Smith have stepped up. Locklear is leading the team with four goals, and Smith is adding two. Still, the offense looks stagnant, and the lack of speed is showing. Opponents are consistently winning the race to loose balls, while the Scots struggle to match. At the pace Scotland is going, it might be time to consider switching up the offensive scheme.

Mentality

The saying goes, “the old Scotland mentality.” Now, you may be asking, what exactly does that mean? Head coach Jeremy White coined the phrase to describe when players mentally check out, when they start playing as if a loss is inevitable. This approach has been evident since South View broke the Scots’ win streak. Once an opponent scores, Scotland often shifts into this mode. The aggression they showed on offense before conceding quickly disappears and turns into a purely defensive focus. But to win in sports, you have to play to win — not play to lose.