Leading 2-1 at the half, Washington head soccer coach Jim Kozuch lined all 14 active players up against the fence near the northwest end zone and voiced his displeasure with the current state of the team.

“I told our guys we need to start becoming one, instead of playing like 11 different individuals on the field,” Kozuch said. “I think it hit home for them. They realized we have been playing like individuals.”

Without their captain and attacking midfielder senior Lupe Barerra, the Pam Pack needed to generate offense, precision passes and through balls from a different source. So, prior to the match, Kozuch placed who he calls the smartest soccer player on the team, defenseman William Page, at the head of the diamond midfield. Page managed to create multiple scoring opportunities throughout the game and took all the corner kicks, one that deflected off an Edenton defender in the first half for a goal.

“Although William hasn’t played forward, he has a great eye for the game and understands the game, so he’s putting himself in the right position,” Kozuch said. “Down the line, putting himself in the right position is going to help him score even more goals.”

Washington out-shot Edenton 16-2 in the first half, the only Aces goal coming on a defensive breakdown that resulted in a perfectly placed cross and header minutes into the game. Following a rousing pep talk, one that threatened to bench any player exhibiting a nonchalant attitude, the defense was impenetrable and a struggling midfield managed to keep the ball within the opponent’s 40-yard line for most of the final 40 minutes.

Out of the gate, the Aces’ keeper had to come up with a collection of acrobatic, unrelenting, one-handed saves, but couldn’t stop senior Jose Corona, who found space and deposited a shot into the back of the net.

Striker Kyle Hodges and forward Sergio Higuera were the recipients of a few timely through balls from Page. Six minutes into the half, Hodges fired a shot that was deflected by the goalie and cleaned up by Page to put Washington up 4-1.

Once his team secured a healthy lead, Page was dropped back to defensive midfielder, but the attack remained. A barrage of 22 shots through the final half hour resulted in six more goals, including two in stoppage time. Hodges, Eric Ruiz, Higuera, Leo Brown (twice) and Corona all found the back of the net.

As for Barrera, Kozuch announced after that game that he will be shutting down his standout midfielder for two weeks in preparation for conference play.

“Lupe is an incredible player who works his tail off constantly,” he said. “When you’re 130 pounds playing like a 200 pounder, he goes in and gets the best from everybody. He’s just beat up. His ankle is hurting him, his knee is hurting him, his foot hurts. At this point, I know what I have in a player with him and we need to get him healthy. Right now, there’s no point in risking a major injury. We’re waiting to conference play to bring him back to life.”

In a true test of character, Washington will take on Conley in Greenville today at 6 p.m.