HAGERSTOWN, Md. – The Cumberland Valley Christian Blazers spotted St. Maria Goretti a pair of early goals and suffered their first loss of the season, a 5-3 defeat in a non-league boys soccer game Thursday.

James Searcy scored for Goretti three minutes into the game, and Connor Brown made it 2-0 at the 15-minute mark. Five minutes later, Elijah Randolph got the Blazers (9-1) on the board with an unassisted goal.

Goretti took a 3-1 lead when Searcy scored a backbreaking goal right before halftime. After the Gaels took a 4-1 lead, Kenneth Hott scored for the Blazers on an assist from Joel Vandersleen. Goretti made it 5-2 on Conner Brown’s second goal of the game with about four minutes left, and Hott scored again, this time on an assist from Eli Black, to finish the scoring at the 78-minute mark.

“We came out flat and let them get two quick goals while we were sleeping,” CVCS coach Stan Hott said. “It took us awhile to wake up but we were able to hold them. They man-marked (Kenneth) Hott from the start while we just played our normal defense against Searcy. They wanted it more.”

Goretti held a 24-17 edge in shots and a 6-0 advantage in corners. Black made 19 saves for the Blazers, who host Faith Christian of Martinsburg, W. Va., in their Homecoming game Friday afternoon.