The Packers put up their best fight against a Big Nine team in two years, but a tough keeper and a tougher break kept Austin on the short end in a 1-0 loss to Mankato West in a girls soccer match at Art Hass Stadium Tuesday.

West’s sophomore keeper Katie Lauer made nine stops on the night and most of them were of the highlight-reel variety as the Packers (2-6 overall, 0-4 Big Nine) had plenty of close chances in the first half.

“Their keeper made a complete difference,” Austin head coach Enrique Camarena-Corzo said. “We had the opportunities and we should’ve had like two or three goals. We’re working a little harder and West is a really good team.”

Austin sophomore forward Hannah Voogd had about as many chances as one can have without scoring a goal. She had a point blank header stopped by a leaping Lauer in the first half, had a point blank look stopped by Lauer and she missed just wide on two breakaway looks in the first half.

It looked like Voogd finally had her chance to put one through with Austin trailing 1-0 with 11:50 left in the match. Carley Grunewald drew Lauer out of the net as she got past the West defense and the ball trickled out to Voogd, who fired a shot that would’ve hit the back of the net if not for a West defender who deflected it with a header.

“It puts you on edge, but we did a great job and I’m proud of our team,” Voogd said. “Last year they beat us 10-0 so this is a real improvement.”

Voogd walked away from the match with a lot of respect for Lauer.

“She was really good and I respect her ability. I just wish one of them would’ve gone in,” Voogd said.

The Packer defense played solid all night as they held the Scarlets (6-3 overall, 3-2 Big Nine) under two goals for just the third time this season.

Mankato West got on the board in the 45th minute when Lauren Wurdinger recovered a loose ball off a corner kick and booted it through from about 15 yards out.

“Sometimes those things happen whether we like it or not. It was a tough goal but our defense did a great job,” Camarena-Corzo said. “They’re starting to realize what they can do.”

Austin keeper Abby Gallaher also gave the Packers some solid play as she stopped 17 shots in net. Her best save was a leaping save off a bullet Alyssa Brinkman that Gallaher was able to get a hand on and tip away in the first half.

Brianna Byam almost gave Austin the lead on a direct kick from 35 yards out, but the shot deflected off the crossbar.