Prep soccer -- Saints top Vikings

Published in Sports on September 30, 2004 1:58 PM

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KINSTON -- Kinston soccer coach Paul Huggins couldn't hide his astonishment following his team's 3-2 loss to Southern Wayne in Class 3-A Eastern Carolina Conference play Wednesday.

As far as the veteran Vikings coach was concerned, his team had outplayed the Saints, but still came away with a loss -- the first in school history against Southern Wayne.

Following the game, he didn't even try to hide his disappointment.

"I think we outplayed them," Huggins said solidly. "I think we're better ballhandlers and better shooters, but the turn of luck didn't go our way."

Edward Mario Segura scored the winning goal with less than a minute remaining in the game. It was the third goal of the match for the sophomore forward.

"What a game for Mario," said Southern Wayne coach Michael Wiggs. "He had his head down earlier in the game because he missed some shots, but I told him he had to keep kicking it. And he did."

Kinston (3-6, 1-3 ECC) led 2-0 at halftime after scores from Michael Jones and Mohammad Ali. But Southern Wayne (2-6, 1-4) answered less than a minute into the second half on a Segura goal.

The Vikings maintained their 2-1 lead until the 71st minute. But Kinston was whistled for a penalty and Segura's shot on the penalty kick glanced off the crossbar before eeking past Vikings goalkeeper C.J. Roberts.

The score remained tied until Segura's game-winning shot.

After the teams shook hands, the Saints began their celebration on their sideline and it continued to the parking lot, where the team sang "Ole."

"This is a heck of a win for us," Wiggs said. "I've told them that if they keep giving 120 percent for us, we're going to win."

Wiggs said his team would build off the win.

"I told the guys that they have to believe in themselves," Wiggs said. "We're trying to turn this program around and my hat is off to these guys for putting forth a great effort all year long."

Kinston played without four players, who had been suspended for violating team rules. But even if his team had those players, Huggins said he was sure the result would have been the same.

"I don't think it mattered at all," Huggins said. "I don't think anything would have happened any differently if they would have been out there."

Kinston doesn't have a lot of time to recover from the loss. The Vikings play at Washington today in a rain-delayed game.