It was a great way to open the season for the Bethel girls soccer team, as the Lady Bees battled the once-tested Milton Union Lady Bulldogs. The Lady Bees used a swarming attack, and goals from three different senior captains, as they opened the season on a winning note, cruising past Milton 3-0 last Thursday evening.

Bescoe was pleased with the victory, knowing also that Milton had already played a game this season.

Milton had a few shots on goal early in the game, as Haley Feathers missed high over the crossbar just two minutes into the game, and came back in the box and got another shot off three minutes later, but as she was doing on every opportunity, Bethel goalie Taylor Hart made the save.

Mary Pelphrey nearly scored for the Lady Bees five minutes into the game, before getting Bethel on the board on her next attempt.

Pelphrey slipped a shot past Kelsey Flory at the 33:25 mark of the first half, giving Bethel an early 1-0 lead.

“We worked on possessions, and did a nice job on the diagonal ball,” Bescoe said. “That goal set the tempo, and the girls knew what would work. It kept the pressure on them.”

Bethel continued to pressure the Milton Union defense, as Emily Ellerbrock and Pelphrey both had shot attempts within three minutes, but the Lady Bees came up empty.

They appeared to have added to their lead a minute later when Pelphrey put one into the net, but the goal was called off due to offside.

Late in the half, the Lady Bees struck again, as Maddie Lange took a shot which ricocheted off the goalie and into the net, and Bethel went into the half leading 2-0.

“At halftime, we talked about not having a letdown with the lead,” Bescoe said. “We are normally a second half team, and these girls really want the shutout record at the school.”

In the second half, the Lady Bees increased their intensity, playing most of the game on the offensive end. Both Chelsy Swackhammer and Ellerbrock had good looks at the goal early in the half, before the Lady Bees made it 3-0 ten minutes into the half when Ellerbrock scored on an open 10 yarder.

Bethel continued to control play, and was never threatened the remainder of the game.

“This team has a tremendous work ethic,” Be scoe said. “Led by the seniors, they were calling their own workouts this summer.”

“I was happy with how well we played controlling the possessions,” he added. “The defense stepped up and was really impressed with people like Lauren Mongarez and Lindsay Ullmer.”

With it being the Bees first game, Bescoe saw both the good and the bad with the Lady Bees from the game.

“I thought our combination play was good,” he said. “We had trouble finishing, and need to work on that.”

Bethel returns to action Thursday night, Sept. 3 at Franklin-Monroe.