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Methuen took advantage of a Lawrence team playing for its second straight day, running away in the second half for a 5-1 soccer victory. Kevin Echeverry broke open a tight game with two goals, getting a lot of quality help from Luis Guerrero and Kevin Lima. JeanCarlos Deleon took a corner kick from Eddy Salmoran and converted early in the second half for the lone Lancer marker.

The ball loose in front of the net, Mike Panagiotakos turned and fired it into the goal with 3:30 to play as Central Catholic beat Methuen 2-1.

 Kevin Lima was off to a strong start to his soccer season with two goals and three assists through seven games. But there was no indication that he was capable of what he did yesterday against Tewksbury. The senior forward had one of the most prolific games in modern area history with five goals and two assists in the 7-2 romp. “They were just open shots and I gave it all I got,” said Lima a three-year starter who had five career goals before yesterday. “I surprised myself. I just thought, ‘Oh, my god, everything is coming out perfectly.’” Lima isn’t for flashy celebrations. “I just pointed at my teammates and told them thank you,” he explained. “I just point at whoever gave me a good ball and give them a high 5.” Yesterday that was a high-5 squared. Lima thinks the Rangers are turning the corner. There is no doubt these have been some lean times for the Royal Blue and White, who, coming into the week, were 2-50-6 over the last three-plus seasons and had gone 27 games 0-21-6 since beating Newburyport on Oct. 24, 2009. Methuen’s last MVC win was Oct. 14, 2008 vs. Chelmsford. But now the Rangers have won two in a row with a 2-1 win over Lawrence Tuesday and yesterday’s impressive victory. “That changed the whole momentum,” said Lima of the Lawrence game. He’s by no means satisfied. “I look forward to making States,” he said. Second-year coach Jeff Lamy was elated. “Most of them haven’t experienced a two-game win streak,” he noted. “I asked them and they just looked at me puzzled.” Because none of them had experienced it. That hasn’t happen at Methuen since early in the 2007 season. “The boys are really buying into the system,” said Lamy, whose club improved to 2-5-1. “In the past we’d get down a goal or two and they’d hang their heads.”

With Luis Guerrero playing very well on the defensive end, goalie Keith Erickson stopping nine shots and Kevin Lima (goal and assist) providing 80 minutes of high-energy play, Methuen won its first soccer game, 2-1 over Lawrence. "Our hard work is paying off," said Ranger coach Jeff Lamy. Michael Goodwin had the lone Lancer goal.