The Owatonna Huskies have made great strides forward in just their second season of varsity soccer.

Tuesday, October 05, 1999

The Owatonna Huskies have made great strides forward in just their second season of varsity soccer. They showed how much they have improved this year when they battled the Packers to the bitter end Monday night at Wescott Field. The Packers rallied from a 1-0 deficit with two goals from Jamie Nieland to pick up a 2-1 win.

"It’s coming along," Owatonna (1-9-1, 1-7-1) coach Norm Brown said. "We are learning every game."

Nieland put the ball in the net three times in the game, but her first score on a rebound shot was nullified because she was offsides. That came 13 minutes into the contest. Eight minutes later Owatonna got on the board. Sophomore Kerry Shea passed a ball forward that sent eighth-grader Holly Noble in on a breakaway. Austin goal keeper Kellie Petersen got her hands on the ball but was unable to stop its momentum into the net.

With eight minutes left in the half, Nieland got open in the box and powered a shot home to tie the game up. In the last seconds of the half, Nieland got off her hardest shot of the night but Owatonna goal keeper Lindsay Macy was up to the task and made the save to keep the game tied.

Nieland came very close to putting Austin ahead with a beautiful header of a Katy McClain cross 13 minutes into the second half. Nieland’s shot hit the outside of the post. Austin kept the pressure on to get the go-ahead goal. Left midfielder Lia Middlebrook did a terrific job of pushing the ball forward as did Laura Nace bombing the ball forward from the middle.

Austin finally got the goal with just over eight minutes remaining. Nieland and McClain teamed up again. McClain hit a hard drive that Macy had to make a diving stop of. She punched the ball out with her right hand. Nieland then pounced on it and booted it home.

In the last minute there was a flurry of activity in front of the Austin net that the defenders had to deal with. Bridget Burzinski made one clear with seconds remaining that set up an Owatonna corner kick which the Huskies barely got off with two seconds left. The kick rolled harmlessly into the field.

"We had a hard time getting going tonight," Austin coach David Ingalls said. "This was a good game for us after a tough loss on Saturday in Winona."

The Packers (6-4-2, 5-4-1) travel to Mankato today to take on the East Cougars.

Boys win in overtime

A late, late, late, late Austin goal was the only scoring in Owatonna Monday night in the boys soccer game between the two Big Nine schools.

The Packers and Huskies battled through a scoreless tie for 80 minutes of regulation and nine-and-an-half minutes of overtime. Then Austin finally got a ball past Owatonna goalie Lyle Sellers with 30 seconds left in overtime. Austin outshot the Huskies about 30-4 in the contest. Chris Lynch was the scorer of the decisive goal. Packer goal keeper Shane Peterson then shutout the Huskies the rest of the way.

Austin (3-8-1, 3-7-0) hosts Mankato East tonight at Wescott Field.

Register soon for AYB

Austin Youth Basketball is holding its registration for the 1999-00 season. Registration for boys and girls in grades five through eight will be held Wednesday and Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at OakPark Mall. Questions call Jon Erichson at 433-2437.