NATCHEZ &045; Boy, those Hornets from Loyd Star sure are nagging.

The first-year soccer program, which tied Cathedral 1-1 last Saturday, help a 3-0 lead on Natchez Friday before the Bulldogs scored three goals in the second half and won 4-3 through penalty kicks.

&uot;You thought the guys had won the Super Bowl,&uot; Natchez head coach Dennis Hogue said. &uot;They were jumping up and down on the bench higher than I had ever seen them.&uot;

Natchez converted four of its five penalty kicks in the extra frame, as Robin Blake, Matthew Henderson, Aaron Ratliff and Curtis Holder all came through in the clutch.

Hogue said Brandon Jones, who took the other kick, nearly put one in the back of the net if hadn’t been for a diving stop by the Hornets keeper.

Hogue said he pulled out the hellfire and brimstone speech at the break, as the Bulldogs trailed 3-0 after 40 minutes of play.

&uot;That first half (Loyd Star) put it on us. But I was telling the guys not to hang their heads, that all they needed was one little spark,&uot; he said. &uot;After that one goal we started to ram it down their throats.&uot;

Holder got the initial goal and Ratliff followed it up with a score minutes later.

The Hornets led 3-2 for much of the second half before Henderson &045; who struggled with his shot in the first half &045; ripped a shot that nearly blew through the back of the net to tie the game.

Ratliff played both in goal and on offense, despite spending time in the hospital this week with a bleeding ulcer that caused him to lose several pints of blood.

&uot;He showed up tonight ready to go gung ho,&uot; Hogue said of Ratliff. &uot;I told him he should be able to get some rest at keeper back there in that first half, but I was wrong. When he plays offense for us in the second halves his adrenaline is at max. He motivated the other guys tonight.&uot;

NHS&160;girls 6, Loyd Star 0

What a night for Kayla Floyd. After she put in two goals in the first half, Hogue went to pushing her for more despite the Lady Bulldogs’ 3-0 lead at the break.

Floyd delivered and came away with the hat trick.

&uot;She has stepped up to be a premier player,&uot; Hogue said.&160;&uot;She used to be so timid, but she’s solid. She’s just calm, cool and collected. My girls never looked better. They were great.&uot;

Stacy Weaver scored one goal for the Lady Bulldogs, but Ashley Mitchell put in two &045; both on breakaways.