The Bowling Green boys’ soccer team got out of the gates on the right note, beating District 14 rival Warren East 4-0 on Monday at Warren East High School.

Bowling Green (1-0 overall, 1-0 District 14) got three goals in the first half to take control and the defense held strong to pitch the shutout.

“It’s always nice to get the shutout against a district foe,” Bowling Green coach Scott Gural said. “It’s nice to be on a turf field. This weekend we are going to be in the Lexington tournament and have three games on turf fields. That kind of changes the complexion of the game.

“Definitely some things to work on. We are not where we want to be, but we never are at the beginning of season.”

The Purples got on the board in the eighth minute when Alex Yusk found Dalton Major on the left side and Major fired in a shot from about 15 yards out.

Bowling Green added two more first-half goals in a two-minute span. Yusk scored from point-blank range in the 25th minute, with Tano Lockhart scoring on a scramble in front of the net one minute later.

The Purples added one more goal five minutes into the second half, a rebound goal by Byamungu Amisi, but were unable to add any more goals despite outshooting Warren East (0-1, 0-1) 30-3, with a 15-2 advantage in shots on goal.

“It’s a testimony to Warren East playing hard and (the) defense staying in front of their goal and not giving us the easy shots,” Gural said. “They made us work hard for everything. (The goals) don’t have to be pretty, so we will take them.”

Warren East’s best chance to avoid the shutout came in the 64th minute when Zavier Vondracek’s shot hit the post.

“I can definitely say that I am very proud of the team,” Warren East coach Zachary Young said. “We are definitely young and we still have quite a bit to learn, but in looking at our scores against Bowling Green last year – going from where we were then to where we are now, allowing one goal in the second half – I can’t be more proud of my team.”

Young, who was making his debut as Warren East’s head coach, added he hopes Monday’s outcome bodes well for the rest of the season.

“We have got some fighters,” Young said. “It’s my hope that by the time we get to the district tournament that we are going to be somebody to fight with.”

Warren East returns to action at 7 p.m. Tuesday, traveling to Russellville.

Bowling Green will face Tates Creek in the Lexington Soccer Showcase at 7 p.m. CDT on Friday.