Murphy Blanks Tri-County 3-0, Extends Streak to Eight

MURPHY, N.C. — The Murphy Bulldogs extended their winning streak to eight matches Wednesday night, blanking the Tri-County Jaguars 3-0 in a Smoky Mountain Conference boys soccer matchup.

Murphy, already riding a seven-game tear in which it outscored opponents by an average of 5.1 goals, dominated from the opening whistle at Tri-County. The Bulldogs have now won six games this season by three or more goals, showcasing a defense that has held foes scoreless in four of their last five outings.

The victory improved Murphy's record to 8-2-1 overall. Tri-County fell to 0-7, still searching for its first win of the season.

Murphy's offensive firepower has been relentless lately, with recent triumphs including a 2-0 road win at Hayesville on Sept. 29, a 1-0 home victory over Blue Ridge Early College on Sept. 24 and a 3-0 decision against Summit Charter a week earlier. Earlier romps included an 8-0 home rout of Highlands on Sept. 15.

The Bulldogs hit the road next, traveling to face Swain County at 6 p.m. Thursday. Swain's defense has surrendered 3.36 goals per game, setting the stage for another potential offensive showcase from Murphy.

Tri-County, meanwhile, heads to Andrews for a 6 p.m. matchup Monday.