Packers take down Scarlets
Published 10:18 pm Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Austin's Carson Hackel pushes against Mankato West's Dillon Lambert in trying to clear the ball in the first half Tuesday night at Art Hass Stadium. -- Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Packers didn’t waste any time showing they meant business against Mankato West in a boys soccer game in Art Hass Stadium Tuesday.
Austin scored three goals in the first 19 minutes of the contest and it walked away with a 4-2 win over the Scarlets (7-2-1 overall, 2-2-1 Big Nine).
Austin's Franco Ortiz gains control of the ball during the first half Tuesday at Art Hass Stadium.
“We came out ready to play,” Austin head coach Jens Levisen said. “We had a big time opponent and they rose to the occasion.”
Jake Hagen-Erickson had a part in all four Austin goals as he finished with two goals and a two assists. He helped get the Packers on the board early on when he passed to Francisco Torres, who tapped one around the keeper to make it 1-0 in the 13th minute.
Then Hagen-Erickson scored on a couple of breakouts on assists by Roel Torres and Abinyan Lual to put the Packers up 3-0.
“It definitely helps (to go up early),” Hagen-Erickson said. “You don’t want to be coming back against these guys, they’re a good team. I think (our fast start) took the wind out of them. They had a long drive over here and when you get three quick goals, that makes it easier to defend.”
The Scarlets got on the board in the 28th minute, but Lual put the game away when he took a crossing pass from Hagen-Erickson and lobbed it into the back corner of the net to make it 4-1 in the 47th minute.
The Packers (8-1 overall, 3-1 Big Nine) didn’t pour on the goals in the second half, but they did gain control of their emotions. Austin received three yellow cards in the first half, but it avoided getting any cards in the second frame.
Austin's Francisco Torres moves the ball up during the first half of their game against Mankato West at Art Hass Stadium Tuesday night.
“We just had to play smarter in the second half. We knew it was going to be a physical game against West, because it always is,” Hagen-Erickson said. “We just had to play a little smarter and a little faster.”
Austin keeper Collin Weisert had eight saves in the win and the Packers fired 10 shots in the win.
