Packer girls hang on

Published 6:00 am Tuesday, September 21, 2010

The Austin girls soccer team held off a late Worthington flurry to win 2-1 in Art Hass Stadium Monday.

The Trojans (2-6 overall) fired off four shots in the last five minutes, but Austin keeper Abby Gallaher got by with a lot of skill and a little luck.

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While Gallaher broke up a corner kick with 14 seconds left in the game and she stopped 23 stops on the night. The biggest break for Austin (2-5-1 overall) came when Worthington had one of its shot bounce off the top cross bar with 2:52 left in the game.

“It was really nerve racking, but we held it together,” said Gallaher, a senior. “It’s really fun to play in these types of games where its close and you can come out with a win.”

Austin forward Rachel Needham contends with Worthington's Genevieve Bern for a loose ball during the Packers' 2-1 victory at Art Hass Stadium Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Worthington scored in the 62nd minute to pull within 2-1.

Austin made it a 2-0 game five minutes into the second half when Carley Grunewald, a sophomore forward, shook off a defender and lobbed a long shot from the left side over the outstretched arm of Worthington keeper Andrea Amundson.

“I was actually kind of surprised because I don’t have a very strong kick,” Grunewald said. “I was trying (to get in the goal), but I wasn’t expecting it to go like that. But it did.”

Austin’s first half goal came when freshman forward Hannah Voogd knocked in a point blank shot in the middle of a scrum after a corner kick by Brianna Byam 18 minutes into the game.

“Hannah’s been doing a good job and it’s really impressive how far she’s come in the last year,” Austin head coach Josh Dumas said. “Abby (Gallaher) has also stepped up and she’s been phenomenal for the team. She’s kept us in every game and she’s won games for us.”

Austin lost to Worthington 2-1 Aug. 28, so there are signs that the team is getting better.

Besides it’s two scores, the Packers had plenty of other chances Monday as they rattled off 14 shots on goal.

Voogd had a header go about two feet high on a pass from Grunewald with 11:35 left in the game and Annamarie Hernandez had a shot attempt sail just outside the left post with five minutes left in the game.

Austin has five seniors on its roster and 13 players sophomores or younger.

“We’re finally coming together as a team and we’re young so it’s going to keep getting better over the years,” Grunewald said. “Hopefully the wins we’re getting this year will keep coming for this season and for the years to come.”

With two wins and a tie under their belts, the Packers have surpassed last season’s total when they had just one win.