Sports

Cavs’ soccer season ends abruptly

• The Darton College men’s soccer team is soundly beaten by Young Harris Wednesday in a region tournament play-in game.

Scott Chancey

YOUNG HARRIS — Darton men’s soccer coach Bart Sasnett sounded as stunned as he was disappointed after his Cavaliers lost, 9-1, to Young Harris on Wednesday in a NJCAA Region XVII tournament play-in game.

It was the worst loss in Sasnett’s career as a men’s coach. His team’s season ends with a 9-7 record.

Although Joey Serrano scored Darton’s lone goal off an assist by Yuki Kariya, that happened in the second half. The Mountain Lions led, 4-0, at halftime.

“We didn’t show up to play,” Sasnett said. “Before the game, we looked ready to play. But when the whistle blew we weren’t.”

Sasnett then added: “There wasn’t any fire or intensity. It was like they were ready for the season to be over.”

The coach, who credited Remone Forrester with solid play Thursday, was hired from Andrew College in March. Looking back on the season, Sasnett saw both the good and bad. A young Darton team began the season 4-1, and then slipped to 5-3. After it improved to 8-3 and neared first place, Sasnett was ejected during a match against South Georgia College and could not coach against Truett-McConnell. The Cavaliers lost those two matches by a combined score of 11-4.

“We weren’t the same after that,” Sasnett said. “We may have peaked a little bit early and couldn’t get it going again. And injuries played a part in it too. There was no doubt.”

Midfielder Dimitri Aurelus was out Thursday with a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury, and Karl Roesch left Thursday’s game after injuring his ankle during the first half.

Sasnett said that despite the loss, he remains upbeat and looks forward to next season.

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