FRUITPORT – The Fruitport girls soccer team came into the new season with lofty expectations, based on its success last spring.

On Monday night, the Trojans showed their fans that there’s good reason for that optimism with a convincing 7-0 season-opening victory over Hart at home.

“Everything we’re doing is about improving,” said Fruitport head coach Kyle Hall. “We’re really hoping to continue to improve and build off of everything that we did last year.

“It was a big emphasis of ours tonight to control the ball and create chances, and I really think the girls must have listened this week and it showed.”

A strong sophomore class is expected to lead the Trojans this season, and on Monday it was sophomore Peyhton Beardsley who was best in show, netting a three-goal hat trick.

“It feels really good,” Beardsley said. “I felt like I was really able to use my speed as an advantage. It was very important to get off to a start like this. We worked so hard in the offseason and it’s starting to pay off.”

In the 17th minute of the game, Beardsley rocketed home a rebound to give the Trojans a 1-0 lead, before finding the net again just five minutes later to make the score 2-0.

In the 27th minute, Fruitport extended the lead to 3-0 when Violet Olinghouse scored off an assist from Myla Parker.

The final goal of the first half came in the 31st minute when Olivia Cribley-Cotto broke loose for a goal to make the score 4-0.

Fruitport only outshot Hart 5-1 in the first half, but made its shots count.

With 21:06 remaining in the second half, Beardsley scored her third goal of the night to put the Trojans up 5-0.

In the 66th minute, Parker scored on a header off a corner kick assist from Olinghouse.

The final goal came with 3:41 remaining when Payton Pietrzak found the net.

Overall the Trojans had a 16-1 advantage in shots on goal.

Fruitport will now prepare for two big challenges, hosting Forest Hills Eastern on Wednesday and Spring Lake on Friday.

“We have a gauntlet coming up,” Coach Hall said about the immediate schedule. “We’re going to be tested really quick. Tonight was important for us because I think 90 percent of the game is confidence, and we gained some of that tonight.”