The Conant boys' soccer team played its best ball of the fall against Sanborn Friday, but their early spark burned out quickly in the late September sun. 

Conant (0-8) played a solid first half that coach Heather Sawyer said was their best of the season; the winless Orioles and visiting Indians were deadlocked at zero entering the break. 

"I feel like we played well the first quarter, and then the last 10, 15 minutes of the half, a lot of us died out and lost energy, which is frustrating for us,” senior captain Ben Sawyer said after the game,

Indeed, for much of the first half, the Orioles looked primed to pick up their first win of the campaign, but as the period progressed, fatigue set in. Down two starters from an already-thin roster, Conant's substitution patterns were compromised.

"That changed the shape of the game," Heather Sawyer said. "We had people out of position, kids starting who aren't used to starting, and it dramatically changed our substitutions."

Sanborn came out of the half and seized momentum, bringing the attack to Conant's senior goalkeeper Jared Nagle, who was up to the challenge until the Indians finally broke through with 28:07 remaining by creating an own-goal off a shot by senior Evan Doherty that redirected into the net off an Oriole defender. 

The deflating play opened the floodgates for the Indians, as Doherty would score again on the ground with a 25-foot boot just five minutes later. At that point, coach Sawyer switched strategies from defensive to offensive, bringing Nagle -- pressed into service in goal this season -- back to his natural position in the field. 

"It's the balance of do you put in the defensive posture and try to keep the score tight, which is what we've opted for,, to try to keep the score tight as we can for as long as we can and then try to be an opportunist -- or, do you flip it and just try to attack hard from the get-go?" she said.

Nagle's addition to the field brought some fresh legs and new energy to the Orioles alongside the long-striding Sawyer, feisty midfielder Drey Seppala and hardworking freshman Gavin Schultz. But the Conant attack was turned back, and the Indians got stoppage-time goals from Samuel Allain and Spencer Lamirande to create a 4-0 final.

It has been a frustrating fall for senior captain Sawyer, who brought home hardware in the track season, played for a state title in basketball and for the previous three years was part of a Conant soccer team that competed at the highest levels in Division III. In his final soccer season, the Orioles have yet to win a single game. 

"It's hard," he said. "It's definitely a lot different this year, but I'm trying to keep a positive outlook on it and bring these guys up, try to get a win."

That might happen sooner rather than later. When the Orioles weren't fatigued, they were moving the ball well, passing with intent to feet, and creating offensive chances. They've only improved as the season's gone along, Heather Sawyer said.

"I've definitely seen this group of kids learn, grow, we're doing things better," she said. "It's just a matter of numbers and time and opponent. I do think with who we've got the rest of the season, we could string a few wins together despite our record. I truly believe it."

Conant is at Fall Mountain (3-4-1) Tuesday.