The Austin defense is starting to come around and it was at full force when the Packers blanked Albert Lea 2-0 in a boys soccer game in Art Hass Stadium Thursday.

Austin (4-2-1 overall, 2-1-1 Big Nine) has allowed just one goal in its last three games and the Packers held the Tigers (1-5, 0-4 Big Nine) to five shots on goal.

“Communication with the midfielders is the biggest thing. We’ve just got to talk and make sure we’re getting back,” Austin senior defenseman Tony Lipari said. “I feel like we’re playing more as a team back on defense and we’re getting stronger and stronger every game.”

While the defense was doing work, the Packer offense was putting up 23 shots on goal at the other end of the field.

Jake Hagen-Erickson put Austin up 1-0 five minutes into the game when he headed in a pin-point pass from Rolando Rubio.

The Packers kept the pressure on after taking the lead as Rubio had one shot blocked by an Albert Lea defenseman in the net and another shot that Albert Lea keeper Cameron Hove made a nice stop on.

“We kept attacking,” Austin head coach Jens Levisen said. “It wasn’t the same type of attack and it wasn’t the same guys. We really moved the ball around well and it was a very solid team effort.”

Austin didn’t score its insurance goal until there were five minutes left in the game after sophomore Francisco Torres bent one inside the right post from 25-yards out.

Torres said the Packers are starting to come together as a team.

“At the beginning of the season we didn’t really look like a team and now we’re working together more as a team,” he said. “We’re looking forward for the games to come.”

Austin keeper Jesus Alejo made five saves on the night —including two diving stops — to get his third shutout of the year.

At halftime of the game, the Austin U9 soccer team was honored with an Outstanding Ambassadors of Teams Having Sportsmanship award.

Austin was selected out of around 60 teams in its division to earn the honor.