The Merritt Secondary School girls’ soccer team certainly started its season off on the right foot as the Panthers defeated the Logan Lake Lightning 4-0 on Monday of this week.

The MSS lasses took advantage of a strong tailwind to complete all their scoring in the opening half of the game.

Madison Webber was the first to put the ball in the back of the Lightning net, followed shortly thereafter by Bhavan Panghali, Simran Lalli and Zoya Khan. Three of Merritt’s four goals came directly from crosses into the box that were finished by either a tap-in or a volley.

The Panthers, who are coached by vice-principal Darren Coates, allowed the Lightning very few scoring chances of their own. Fullbacks Kelsey Walder, Aliyah Rodominski, Katie Huber and Kaitlyn Suzuki consistently steered the ball out of danger all game long, while centre halfback Cassie Anderson showed great leadership and ball control in the middle of the field, and executed several dangerous corner kicks.

The Panthers are back in action today, Thursday, against the Ashcroft Rams. They are also scheduled to take part in a one-day jamboree in Kamloops on Saturday.

Merritt Secondary’s only home game of this abbreviated soccer season is next Thursday at 4 p.m. when the Panthers host Clearwater at the Central School playing fields.