HUGHESTOWN — Wyoming Valley West took advantage of just about every opportunity given in the first half.

Unfortunately, for Pittston Area, it was too much to overcome, no matter what halftime adjustments were made.

Wyoming Valley West trounced the Patriots early on with four first-half goals in a 4-0 victory Monday in Wyoming Valley Conference girls soccer.

The Spartans remain tied for second place with a 3-1 record this season.

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“I like the way they communicated,” Spartans coach Deb Stevens said. “It was a total team play. We’re progressing just as I hoped. We’re coming together as a team.”

Tiffany Michalek and Riley O’Neil each finished with a goal and an assist for the Spartans. Emma Grimes and Danielle Cook combined for the clean sheet.

Valley West stressed early momentum heading into this season, and its fledgling offense carried through once again. O’Neil delivered a perfectly placed through ball that split Pittston Area defenders and gave Michalek a chance to score just 61 seconds into the contest.

In the 10th minute, the Spartans manufactured another goal off the lone corner kick of the match. Emily Matthews played a corner kick back out to Morgan Josefowicz, who took the extra space to drive it into the net for a 2-0 lead.

“In the past, we have not been ready at the start,” Stevens said. “In every game so far, we have had a goal or a good scoring chance in the first five minutes.”

Trailing by four at the break, Pittston Area buckled down in the second half and held onto possession for most of the remaining 40 minutes. The Spartans’ defense collapsed on the Patriots’ forwards, and Pittston Area was unable to get a solid look at goal.

Pittston Area’s best chance came in the 34th minute. Mia Barbieri sent a nice pass down field to Grace Mimnaugh. Mimnaugh legged a hard shot from the left angle that was cleared out by the Spartans’ keeper.

“We just didn’t start off well,” Pittston Area coach Nicole Tieso said. “We unfortunately committed some errors defensively and they followed through on them.

“I thought we played a physical second half. Credit Wyoming Valley West for finishing the chances they made.”

The Spartans punched in their third goal in the 24th minute. Michalek came into the box on a breakaway and sent a high close-ranged shot. Pittston Area keeper Taryn Ashby thwarted it up into the air and Elizabeth Burkhardt rushed in to head it into the net.

Two minutes later, O’Neil added a goal when she one-timed a cross from Kennadi Josefowicz.

Nanticoke 10, Hanover 1

Kayla Aufiero’s hat trick led the way in Nanticoke’s win over Hanover.

Liz Mulhern had two goals and assisted on another, while Katie Butchzynski chipped in two assists for the Trojans.

Tanisha Atherton scored the lone goal for Hanover at 36:23.

BOYS SOCCER

Crestwood 8, Hazleton Area 1

Kyle Gegaris and Hubert Herrera combined to score four of Crestwood’s eight total goals in the first half in a win over Hazleton Area.

Thomas Roberts scored two goals in the second half for the Comets.

Jonathan Pozniak scored Hazleton’s lone goal of the game, he was assisted on the play by Josh Capriotti.

***

GIRLS SOCCER

Wyoming Valley West 4,

Pittston Area 0

Valley West`4`0`—`4

Pittston Area`0`0`—`0

First half — 1. WVW Tiffany Michalek (Riley O’Neil), 2nd minute; 2. WVW Morgan Josefowicz (Emily Matthews), 10th; 3. WVW Elizabeth Burkhardt (Michalek), 24th; 4. WVW O’Neil (Kennadi Josefowicz) 26th. Second half — No scoring.

Shots — WVW 15; PA 6. Saves — WVW 6 (Emma Grimes 4, Danielle Cook 2); PA 8 (Taryn Ashby). Corner kicks — PA 0, WVW 1.

Nanticoke 10, Hanover 1

Hanover`1`0`—`1

Nanticoke`6`4`—`10

First half — 1. HAN, Tanisha Atherton, (penalty kick) 36:23; 2. NAN, Liz Mulhern (Amiyah Lutkowski) 27:20; 3. Kayla Aufiero (Mulhern), 22:52; 4. NAN, Mulhern (Katie Butczynski), 12:54; 5. NAN, Aufiero (unassisted), 9:21; 6. NAN, Lutkowski (unassisted), 6:58; 7. NAN, Aufiero (Butczynski), 0:29. Second half — 8. NAN, Kelsey Maran (unassisted), 39:36; 9. NAN, Maran, (Taylor Zabrenski), 35:35; 10. NAN, Zabrenski (Aufiero), 30:00; 11. NAN, Mackinze Clarke (unassisted) 27:54.

Shots — HAN 8; NAN 36. Saves — HAN 24 (Abby Thompson); NAN 6 (Lilly Kratz). Corner kicks — HAN 3; NAN 5.

BOYS SOCCER

Crestwood 8, Hazleton Area 1

Crestwood`6`2`—`8

Home`0`1`—`1

First half — 1. CRE, Kyle Gegaris (unassisted), 37:00. 2. CRE, Hubert Herrera (unassisted) 30:00. 3. CRE, Kyle Gegaris (unassisted) 16:00. 4. CRE, Hubert Herrera (unassisted) 13:00. 5. CRE, Sean Murphy (unassisted) 10:00. 6. CRE, Matt LaCoste (unassisted) 5:00. Second half — 7. CRE, Thomas Roberts (unassisted), 13:00. 8. CRE, Thomas Roberts (unassisted) 13:00. 9. HAZ, Jonathan Pozniak (Josh Capriotti) 24:00.

Shots — CRE 19; HAZ 12. Saves — CRE 5; HAZ 4. Corner kicks — CRE 8; HAZ 5.

Ashley Duda (1) of Wyoming Valley West and Kayla Hogan of Pittston Area battle for the ball.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_pittstonwvwsoccer01-1.jpg.optimal.jpgAshley Duda (1) of Wyoming Valley West and Kayla Hogan of Pittston Area battle for the ball. Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader

Mia Barbieri of Pittston Area maneuvers the ball around Tiffany Michalek of Wyoming Valley West.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_pittstonwvwsoccer02-1.jpg.optimal.jpgMia Barbieri of Pittston Area maneuvers the ball around Tiffany Michalek of Wyoming Valley West. Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader

Elizabeth Burkhardt of Wyoming Valley West gets a goal despite Pittston Area goalkeeper Taryn Ashby momentarily blocking Burkhardt’s shot in Monday’s WVC girl soccer game in Hughestown.
http://www.psdispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/web1_pittstonwvwsoccer03-1.jpg.optimal.jpgElizabeth Burkhardt of Wyoming Valley West gets a goal despite Pittston Area goalkeeper Taryn Ashby momentarily blocking Burkhardt’s shot in Monday’s WVC girl soccer game in Hughestown. Pete G. Wilcox | Times Leader
WVW scores 4 goals in 1st half vs. Pittston Area

By Jay Monahan

For Times Leader

Reach Times Leader sports at 570-829-7143 or on Twitter @tlsports.