The Robinson boys soccer team (2-8) lost 5-1 to Plant (8-4-3) at home on Tuesday, Jan. 16.

“What we’re really trying to do is trying to train the team right, trying to get the freshmen involved,” Head Coach Manuel Montero said. “I think we played four freshmen tonight. So we’re really trying to play for now, but with an eye to the future.”

The Knights have had a challenging season, often playing larger schools with considerably more students, and this game was certainly no exception. Plant is undoubtedly a formidable opponent, and the rivalry added a considerable amount of pressure. The game was well attended, with Knights and Panthers alike crowding the stands and cheering on their teams with enthusiasm only a rivalry game can incite.

Center-midfielder Steven Verdisco (’20) feels that his team fought through the entire 80 minutes.

“I feel like as a team we stayed in it and we fought hard for the whole game,” Verdisco said. “We just got unlucky a couple of times.”

This game was certainly not the luckiest for the Knights, as two of Plant’s five goals came from a free kick and a penalty kick, which are both typically very difficult to defend.

According to Solomon Browne (’18), the solution to the Knights’ problems is quite simple.

“[Plant] was kind of all over the place, dribbling through us,” Browne said. “We need to learn how to position ourselves better on the ball.”

The Knights will face the Newsome Wolves (9-4-2) on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. at Newsome High School (16550 Fishhawk Blvd., 33547).