Packers get past Schaeffer 3-0
Published 10:43 pm Monday, October 4, 2010
Austin sophomore Jake Hagen-Erickson attempts a bicycle kick during the Packers' 3-0 win over Schaeffer Academy in Art Hass Stadium Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
It wasn’t the same Schaeffer Academy team that the Packers have seen in the past, but Austin kept its cool and came out with a 3-0 win in a boys soccer game in Art Hass Stadium Monday.
Early on it looked like the Packers were headed to a common lopsided win over Schaeffer (5-8-1 overall) as Pedro Herrera got free and maneuvered past Schaeffer’s keeper to score in the third minute of the game.
From that point on, Austin (7-4-2 overall) controlled possession, but easy shots were hard to come by.
“They were going after it and they weren’t going to let us just go through the motions,” Austin head coach Jens Levisen said of Schaeffer. “They showed us they improved as a team and wanted to make a game out of it. They didn’t have a lot of chances (to score), but they only allowed us to take certain shots.”
Austin's Pedro Herrera begins to celebrate as his shot heads towards the net on a first half goal during the Packers' 3-0 win over Schaeffer Academy at Art Hass Stadium Monday. -- Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Francisco Torres made it a 2-0 game when he beat a Schaeffer defender along the left side and drilled a shot into the net in the 25th minute and he added another goal when he chipped a shot into the left side of the net in the 59th minute.
“I just try to keep control so I don’t lose my head and I can score more goals,” said Torres, a sophomore who now has seven goals on the season. “I was surprised (by how well Schaeffer played). They came out strong and played a good game. They had a good keeper and that helps us work on our kicks.”
Torres just missed a hat trick when the Schaeffer keeper was a little late in picking up a loose ball towards the end of the second half.
Levisen was pleased that the Packers didn’t force the issue and they stayed within their offense.
“They know that we’re not a long ball team and we want to build things. It was good that we didn’t just default to ‘let’s kick it long and hope,’” he said. “We moved the ball pretty well, but we need to be a little more intentional on scoring attempts,”
Jesus Allejo had three saves for Austin,which has a busy week ahead of it as it will host Mankato West Tuesday, then travel to Albert Lea Thursday, Rochester John Marshall Friday and South Saint Paul Saturday.
“West is going to bring a good game and Albert Lea will bring a good game,” Levisen said. “We can play good games with those teams, it will just be a matter of what type of consistency we can bring this week.”
The Packers will open the Section 1A tournament next week.
