Cherry Hill East boys soccer lost 3-0 to Eastern on Wednesday, Sept. 23, giving up its first goals of the season in a second-half collapse at home.

The Cougars (4-1-1) had entered the game unbeaten at 4-0-1 and had not allowed a goal all year, according to NJ.com. Eastern, ranked 11th in MaxPreps' New Jersey soccer rankings to East's 78th, improved to 6-0 with the win.

The first half ended 0-0. Eastern broke through with three unanswered goals after halftime, according to MaxPreps' box score.

Coach Mike Melograna still liked what he saw early. "I thought we played the best half of the season. We just couldn't get one in the net," he told Eastside, the Cherry Hill East student newspaper.

The loss came during a stretch in which East's offense has gone cold. The Cougars have not scored more than one goal in any of their last four games, per MaxPreps.

East snapped a three-game losing streak against Eastern last season with a 2-1 win, per NJ.com. This time the Vikings controlled the second half and pulled away.

Now the Cougars turn to the crosstown rivalry. Cherry Hill East faces Cherry Hill West at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at Cherry Hill West High School. The non-league match pits East's 4-1-1 record against a Lions squad sitting at 1-4-1, per MaxPreps. West lost 1-0 to Seneca on Wednesday.

Melograna framed the Eastern loss as a turning point for the rest of the schedule. "It's not just for Saturday. It's the rest of the year. It's a refocus moment," he told Eastside.

West's next game after the rivalry match is Sept. 29 against Shawnee, per MaxPreps.