By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The visiting Ada boys soccer team lost to undefeated Bluffton 7-0 Monday night at Steinmetz Field in a battle for first place in the Northwest Conference.

Five-time defending league champion Bluffton improved to 10-0-1 and 3-0 in the NWC (nine points) with the decisive win.

Ada fell to 6-4 overall and 3-1 in the Northwest Conference standings with nine points after the defeat. 

The Pirates have now won 28 straight league matches. They are ranked first in the coaches' Div. III northwest region poll.

Bluffton burst onto the pitch with a seven-goal onslaught in the first 27 minutes to seal the verdict early on.

Pirate senior Jonathan Schriner netted three goals in the first quarter of play to lead the hosts to victory. Schriner scored in the fourth, 11th and 19th minutes. 

Jude Spallinger tallied a pair of first half goals as well to help lead the Pirates to an insurmountable 7-0 intermission cushion.

Spallinger found the back of the net in the eighth and 27th minutes. 

Nolan Hoffman netted a goal in the 20th minute, while Simon Derstine added the sixth score in the 23rd minute.

Bulldog senior scoring ace Jacob Poling entered the game with 20 goals, including eight in his last two matches.

Bluffton put 14 of its 17 shots on goal. Ada got off five shots, with two on target.

Nic Essinger made a pair of saves in goal for the Pirates. Bulldog keeper Grant Preston was credited with seven stops.

The Bulldogs (2-2 NCOSA) play at North Central Ohio Soccer Association foe Van Buren Thursday, October 1.

The Pirates host non-league rival Riverdale October 1. Last season, Bluffton beat Riverdale 1-0 in overtime in the district finals. 

In the 2019 regular season, the Falcons and Pirates also battled to a 0-0 tie.