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Shiffert's hat trick lead NL

There is a lot to say about getting back on your horse after you fall off.

The Northern Lehigh soccer team is a prime example of this.After dropping a heartbreaking 2-1 game to Pen Argyl on Friday evening, the Bulldogs jumped back on the field Saturday morning and went right back to work.Behind the hat trick of Channing Shiffert and stellar defense, Northern Lehigh downed the Indians 6-2 in non-league play."It's a good win for us," Shiffert said. "It raised the morale for everyone today."Shiffert's goal tied the game against the Green Knight's but the team faltered in the extra frame."We had them, momentum was for us but we couldn't get it done," Shiffert explaining the Pen Argyl loss.Rather than dwell on the tough loss just hours before, the Bulldog offense stormed the net and peppered Lehighton keeper Shane Fordyce with 46 shots, 19 from Shiffert.Dylan Fatzinger registered his first of two assists on Jimmy Bigler's opening goal less than eight minutes into the contest.Shiffert would score his first two goals in the first half and Fatzinger fed Martin Everhart in front of the net to give the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead at the break.We had a lot of opportunities," head coach John Sitaris said. "We were able to distribute the ball, Channing Shiffert did a great job of trapping the ball, getting gthrough and creating those opportunities."On their heels for most of the half, the Indians showed signs of brilliance in their play.Briefly turning the tide in the first half, Lucas Millen scored off Jason Addy's superb corner kick to cut the score to 2-1. The Indians (0-10) came out in the second half with the same effort, but were thwarted by the Northern Lehigh defense.Every attack after Millen's goal was cut off with quickly and without many second chances at the net."I thought that the middle of our defense did well getting the ball back to our midfielders," Sitaris said of his defense. "Then at midfield we were able to get the ball down field so they didn't have many second chances and continuing the attack."At the 16:47 mark of the second half, Shiffert scored his third goal of the game off Everhart's assist. Shiffert now has 13 goals on the season and has scored in all but two games this season."I think everything just clicked." Shiffert said. "With soccer, everybody needs to be 'on' to win. Everyone was today."Jason Addy scored Lehighton's second goal at the 12:45 mark of the second half and the Bulldogs Jimmy Bigler netted his second goal of the game to close out the scoring.The win lifts Northern Lehigh to 3-9 overall, 1-6 in league play."We lost (on Friday) in overtime and lost a few close games," Sitaris said. "So this was nice to have this one going our way."

MIKE FEIFEL/TIMES NEWS Tyler Hoppes (left) of Northern Lehigh battles with Lehighton's Jason Addy for control of the ball.