St. Pauls’ Neveah Liles (8) and Heide Trask’s Kenya Lewis (21) battle for possession during Wednesday’s game in St. Pauls.
                                 Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

St. Pauls’ Neveah Liles (8) and Heide Trask’s Kenya Lewis (21) battle for possession during Wednesday’s game in St. Pauls.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

<p>St. Pauls’ Neveah Liles (8) and Heide Trask’s Kenya Lewis (21) battle for possession during Wednesday’s game in St. Pauls.</p>
                                 <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>

St. Pauls’ Neveah Liles (8) and Heide Trask’s Kenya Lewis (21) battle for possession during Wednesday’s game in St. Pauls.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

<p>St. Pauls’ Jessica Munoz (2) and Heide Trask’s Emily Esparza Martinez (12) battle for possession during Wednesday’s game in St. Pauls.</p>
                                 <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>

St. Pauls’ Jessica Munoz (2) and Heide Trask’s Emily Esparza Martinez (12) battle for possession during Wednesday’s game in St. Pauls.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

<p>St. Pauls’ Thanya Garcia (11) kicks the ball during Wednesday’s game against Heide Trask in St. Pauls.</p>
                                 <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>

St. Pauls’ Thanya Garcia (11) kicks the ball during Wednesday’s game against Heide Trask in St. Pauls.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

<p>St. Pauls’ Thanya Garcia (11) and Heide Trask’s Kenya Lewis (21) battle for possession during Wednesday’s game in St. Pauls.</p>
                                 <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>

St. Pauls’ Thanya Garcia (11) and Heide Trask’s Kenya Lewis (21) battle for possession during Wednesday’s game in St. Pauls.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

<p>St. Pauls’ Sabrina Velasquez (21) kicks the ball during Wednesday’s game against Heide Trask in St. Pauls.</p>
                                 <p>Chris Stiles | The Robesonian</p>

St. Pauls’ Sabrina Velasquez (21) kicks the ball during Wednesday’s game against Heide Trask in St. Pauls.

Chris Stiles | The Robesonian

ST. PAULS — The St. Pauls girls soccer team entered Wednesday’s home nonconference match with Heide Trask with a perfect record so far this season.

But facing the toughest opponent they’ve seen thus far, the results were less successful for the Bulldogs in a 7-0 defeat.

“We started off good, it was 2-0 at halftime,” St. Pauls coach Saul Lopez said. “Due to injuries or fatigue, later on in the second half, we started getting a little bit fatigued, and our subs did whatever they could do, which I appreciate a lot. I think fatigue and the lack of cover in the back in the second half, that’s what happened.”

Heide Trask (5-1) scored its first goal when Alina Sandoval kicked the ball inside the left post from 10 yards with 26:04 left in the first half; the Titans’ second goal was by Veronica Hernandez, in similar fashion from 12 yards at the 12:50 mark.

Heide Trask’s Kenya Lewis scored on a free kick less than one minute into the second half, and the Titans quickly added another when Hernandez scored off the deflection of a St. Pauls save with 35:25 to go. Lewis added another goal on a penalty kick with 16:47 remaining for a 5-0 lead.

“Initially we did have a plan. I know (Lewis), a marvelous player, she’s basically their playmaker. We had a plan to have four midfielders.”

Sandoval and Catherine Ferreya-Martinez each scored in the final 12 minutes for Heide Trask.

While St. Pauls (3-1) was unable to maintain its undefeated record, Lopez says playing strong competition is part of the learning process as his young team looks to build itself up for both this season and the future.

“They’re some warriors,” Lopez said. “We had a plan; they did everything they could do, and I appreciate them to actually listen to me, to play the game out here. We’re a defending type of team. When the plan is put in place and we have some coachable players, then we can execute it, but it all comes back to talking to each other, which is communication, in the back, covering. It was a new formation and something they’re not used to, so we struggled a little bit.”

A big stage to showcase themselves is next up for the Bulldogs, as they will play against host Lumberton in the semifinals of the Robeson Cup at 7 p.m. Saturday.

“Big day,” Lopez said. “I’m actually excited. These early games, which I think actually helped the girls with their experience — I have a good feeling, that good feeling that you get; I think we’ll be able to do alright. We’ve got the 7 o’clock match, so it’s going to be under the lights, it’s going to be great atmosphere with all the community from Robeson County, so it’s going to be a good game.”

Sports editor Chris Stiles can be reached at 910-816-1977 or by email at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter at @StilesOnSports.