PARKERSBURG - It's been a learning experience for the 2019 Parkersburg South boys' soccer team, as the Patriots suffered a 6-1 setback Thursday at the Erickson All-Sports Facility to the University Hawks. University (3-0) struck early and often in the opening moments to secure the win. Justin Parsons kicked off the offensive showing with a score in the 2nd minute from the right side, as South goalie Justin Ellinger could not catch up to the ball in time. Ellinger continued to face pressure deep in the South zone, as one minute later, Riley Nett found the back of the net to double the lead in a hurry. Despite, PSHS's efforts at clearing the ball, they couldn't stop J.M. Jones. He achieved a hat trick in the first half of action with scores coming from the 28th, 30th and 39th minutes respectively. Communication errors for head coach Jamie Whitlach's young group led to limited chances to even attempt any shots on goal in the first half. The zero shots on goal and University's knack for scoring gives the team plenty to work on in the future. "We're going to go through some growing pains, because we're relatively, a new team," Whitlach said. "We're freshmen-heavy, and the replacement in the goal was a freshman." That replacement, Jared Davis, was brought in after Ellinger experienced discomfort in his chest in the second half. Minutes after the senior goalkeeper fell on a ball to record a save, he laid on the grass in pain and was replaced. He walked off with assistance from coach Whitlach and the athletic trainer. On the bench, he iced his chest and left the venue for further medical evaluation. Afterward, Whitlach explained the situation. "He landed on the ball, and he had a previous surgery where he had rings put in his chest," he said of Ellinger. "We think when he landed, he landed on one of those rings. When he landed, it didn't hurt him immediately, but after he started playing, it started flaring up." With 17:38 to play, Davis subbed in and recorded a couple saves. It was a chunk of playing time for the freshman that was indicative of a team that didn't give up. A header from Brayden Cline off a cross from Nick Murphy accounted for the only South goal. Even though the game was out of reach, Whitlach was happy with his team's resolve. "Their effort in the second half was phenomenal," he said. "They didn't quit. They showed a lot of heart, and this team is coming along. There are a lot of old faces, but there are a lot of new faces. Today, they really showed a lot of heart." The result was less than ideal for the Patriots (0-3), but they'll look to get in the win column for the first time in when they hit the road at 11 a.m. on Saturday for a road clash against Bridgeport.