Breakthrough season for Panthers

Published 6:18 pm Monday, October 15, 2018

It’s been 25 years since the LaGrange College men’s soccer team reached double digits in victories.

Thanks to a four-game winning streak that came to a close with Sunday’s home loss to Maryville, LaGrange College is one victory away from accomplishing that feat.

LaGrange College is 9-5 overall, and 4-4 in the USA South heading into a four-game road trip to finish the regular season.

The Panthers went 10-7 in 1993, and they haven’t had a winning season since then.

LaGrange College has an opportunity to change that in the coming weeks.

The Panthers finish the regular season with road games against Covenant, Averett, Greensboro and Brevard, and they’re hoping to qualify for the USA South tournament.

LaGrange College ran its winning streak to four with Saturday’s 1-0 conference win over Pfeiffer.

The Panthers got a goal from Errick Sturm on an assist from Jude McEvoy midway through the second half, and they made that 1-0 lead stand up.

Goal keeper Cory Aycock, who was one of eight seniors recognized before the game, had a pair of saves.

Among the other seniors honored was Qua Tucker, a LaGrange High graduate and a four-year member of the LaGrange College program.

The other seniors are Adam Curry, Nick Huberty, Blake Konans, Connor Liney, Jonathan Mann and Matthew Mortin.

On Sunday, LaGrange lost to Maryville 4-1 in its home finale.

The Panthers were trailing 2-0 when Justin Threatt scored 10 minutes into the second half.

It remained a 2-1 game until the Scots put it away with two late goals.

VOLLEYBALL: LaGrange College split a pair of USA South matches on Saturday against Piedmont and Covenant.

Against Piedmont, LaGrange College dropped the first set 25-18, but it won the next three sets 25-22, 25-16 and 25-21.

Madison Lewis, a freshman from LaGrange High, helped lead the Panthers to the win with 18 assists.

Mimi Loftus had 14 kills to lead the Panthers, Leigha Reynolds had 13 kills and 19 digs, Lauren Sanders had 22 assists and 17 digs, Jazzlyn Kenner had 10 kills and three blocks, and Courtney Swafford had 17 digs.

In the Covenant match, LaGrange College won the first two sets, 25-15 and 25-23, but it lost the next two sets 25-23 and 25-22.

In the fifth and deciding set, Covenant won 15-1.

Loftus again led the Panthers with 17 kills, Kenner had 13 kills, Sanders had 25 assists and 17 digs, and Swafford had 34 digs.

GOLF: Sam Rogers put together a brilliant second round to lead LaGrange College’s golf team in the Golfweek Fall Invitational in Miramar Beach, Fla. on Monday.

Rogers, a sophomore, posted a 5-under par 66 to soar 32 spots up the leaderboard and into a tie for fourth.

The three-day tournament concludes today.

Rogers opened with a 74 on Sunday, but he birdied nearly half of his holes a day later to record the best one-day score of the tournament.

Rogers is just two shots behind the three men who finished tied for first.

LaGrange College is tied for seventh in the team standings after recording scores of 290 and 295.

Ben Womack, who shot a blistering 67 in the first round, had a 75 on Monday and he’s tied for 33rd.

Nathan Garner has scores of 73 and 74, Mathias Anderson has recorded rounds of 76 and 80, and Cameron Starr shot a 76 on Sunday.

OF NOTE: For more photos from the weekend matches, check out Facebook.com/LDNSports.