A fast start to the season isn't helping the Spanish Springs boys soccer team anymore. After opening the season with four straight wins, the SSHS club has been saddled with back-to-back losses, the latest a 2-1 defeat at home against North Valleys Wednesday night.

How does Cougars coach Rob Moreland feel about the consecutive losses?

“It's not good. It's an eye opener,” the third-year coach said. “Our guys need to step up in practice and work harder. I think after we started 4-0 we got a little overconfident.”

Spanish Springs did get on the scoreboard first Wednesday. Irvin Somera found the back of the net with a goal just eight minutes into the match. Victor Diaz gave away the assist.

The SSHS edge was short lived. In the 17th minute, North Valleys knotted the contest with a penalty kick goal off the leg of Alex Martinez.

The deadlock remained in place into the halftime break, but not much into the second half. Martinez scored the go-ahead goal for North Valleys at the 46-minute mark. The score came on a free kick from the left corner just beyond the SSHS defensive box.

“They scored on a free kick and a penalty kick,” Moreland said. “We have to start making teams earn it instead of making it easy for them.

“We need more games like this, pressure games, games that test us. We're playing selfish. Everyone is trying to do it themselves. We've got to start working together ... When we get to the 18-yard box. We don't know what to do with the ball. We're making bad decisions or no decisions.”

Neither team scored in the final 34 minutes, preserving the High Desert League road win for North Valleys.

The visiting Panthers (5-1-0) suffered their first loss four days earlier, falling to traditionally tough Carson. So Wednesday's win left the North Valleys crew feeling like it was back on track.

“Spanish Springs is very good,” Panthers coach Ian Stoddard said. “To come back after being down quickly showed a lot of heart. We kind of held them off at the end.”

Spanish Springs (4-2-0) is back in action again Saturday when it travels to Reno for an 11 a.m. conference clash.

- McQueen 5, Reed 0 -

In northwest Reno, the host Lancers built a 3-0 lead by halftime and never looked back.

Reed, which won its season opener at Douglas, has now dropped five straight matches since.

“I don't think it's offensive struggles as much as I think it's a lack of effort,” Reed coach Jeff Valentine said. “I can handle mistakes but I can't handle a lack of effort and that's where it is right now. We're getting outplayed. I think our kids are just as good as anyone else's ... But there's going to have to be some changes.”

Reed (1-5-0) hosts Hug Saturday at 11 a.m.