MURPHY, NC – The Murphy High Bulldogs soccer team couldn’t overcome giving up three goals in the first half Wednesday, Sept. 25, falling at home to Hayesville 3-1 in the first game of the region schedule.

The Bulldogs (1-4, 0-1 Smoky Mountain 1-A) started the match slow on defense, leading to the barrage of goals from the visiting Yellow Jackets.

Senior Braeden Alexander works on the pitch for the Murphy Bulldogs. Alexander scored the team’s lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Hayesville on Wednesday, Sept. 25, in Murphy.

“We came out lacking intensity in the first half and made some mistakes defensively, which cost us,” coach Justin Butler said.

Despite the large deficit, Murphy turned the effort around in the second half.

The Bulldogs played much stingier and together as a unit on defense. They also continued to give themselves chances to score, but still displayed difficulty finishing off those scoring opportunities, which Butler said they are going to have to improve on.

Senior Braeden Alexander finally broke through for the Bulldogs, earning and converting a penalty kick to give the team their only score of the game in the second half.

“We came out in the second half much more intense and played much better,” Butler said.

Moving forward, the coach said the team still has to improve on playing 80 full minutes of high-intensity defense, while converting their scoring opportunities.

“We must continue to improve on finishing our scoring opportunities when they are available,” Butler said. “We continue to work and improve, and I am proud of how the guys regained their composure after a lackluster first half and came out and played very hard and much better in the second half.”

The road doesn’t get any easier for the Bulldogs as they continue on in conference play.

Next week, Murphy travels to Highlands for a match with the Highlanders (4-3-2, 1-0) on Monday, before visiting Swain County (2-6-3, 0-1) on Wednesday.

Both matches are set to begin at 6 p.m.