photo by: Kim North

St. Clairsville’s Parker Galloway (3) possesses the ball Thursday night as Morgantown’s Taylor Beard (7) closes in. The Mohigans scored three goals in a 15-minute span of the second half to knock the Red Devils from the unbeaten ranks, 3-1, at Red Devil Stadium.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE – St. Clairsville entered Thursday night’s boys’ soccer match with visiting Morgantown as the lone unbeaten in the OVAC. The Mohigans made sure the Red Devils didn’t continue that streak.

Trailing 1-0 at the half, Morgantown exploded for three goals in the first 18 minutes of the second half for a 3-1 victory on the artificial pitch at Red Devil Stadium.

The Mohigans (4-2-2) were ranked No. 4 in W.Va. Class 4A entering the contest and are locked in a battle with Steubenville and Wheeling Park for the top spot in the OVAC Class 5A standings.

“They are a phenomenal team. They are fast and big. They are everything you want from a soccer team,” St. Clairsville head coach Jeff Roberts said of the talented Mohigans. “I don’t think there is a weakness on that team. They played outstanding

“Playing our third game this week was tough,” Roberts said. “Yes, it was a loss but I was pleased with the effort against a quality team. Hats off to them and hats off to my kids for being resilient.”

Morgantown was so dominant that St. Clairsville’s goal came on its only shot, that coming by Mavrik Malin that gave the Red Devils a 1-0 lead late in the 20th minute. Malin carried the ball into the box to the left of Morgantown goalkeeper William Chang with high-scoring Parker Galloway trailing on his left. Instead of passing the ball, Malin punched it past Chang with his right foot.

Malin is playing soccer again after focusing on golf last fall. He played soccer as a freshman.

The Mohigans drew even in the 41st minute when Anthony Vessecchia pounded home a throw from Cameron Wheeler.

Morgantown made it 2-1 in the 47th minute on a goal by Sebastian Schneider off an assist from Vessecchia. Eleven minutes later, Schneider found the net for the second time, this one coming off an assist by Rayvan Hanif.

Chang wasn’t credited with a save as Morgantown dominated possession of the ball and didn’t allow St. Clairsville across midfield only a couple of times in the final 40 minutes.

Galloway was injured late in the first half while sliding to block a shot. He started the second half but couldn’t continue.

“Not having Parker available in the second half obviously … definitely hurt our possession and our ability to defend a little better,” Roberts noted.

The match could have been more lop-sided had it not been for some stellar goalkeeping by Talan Rice. He was credited with 16 saves, including 13 in the second half when Morgantown peppered him with 16 shots.