MIDDLETOWN — The game started well enough for the Upper Lake High School boys soccer team on Wednesday afternoon as Xavier Snow scored early in the first half to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead over the Middletown Mustangs, who found themselves trailing in a game for the first time this season.
The lead didn’t last long.
Middletown scored only minutes later to pull even, the first of seven unanswered goals by the Mustangs during their 7-1 non-league victory at Middletown.
The Mustangs, now 5-0 on the season, also beat Upper Lake 4-1 last week in the opening round of the fourth annual Tyler Duncan Memorial tournament at Upper Lake, which Middletown won with a 4-0 record.
Upper Lake fought as hard as it could with starters unable to suit up Wednesday. And when the Cougars lost another starter, Sammy Avalos, to an ankle injury later in the first half, Middletown took full advantage by scoring two goals in rapid succession to pull ahead 3-1 by halftime.
“It was all downhill from there,” Upper Lake head coach Thomas Santana said. “Once Sammy was out, they went right after us.”
Santana said the taller and more physical Mustangs often went right over the top of Upper Lake to score.
“Four of their seven goals were off corner kicks,” Santana said.
Middletown padded its lead with four goals in the second half.
Santana said Snow, Avalos and Nicholas Barnes all played well in defeat.
Middletown scoring was not reported.
