Girls soccer: Wingers down Packers

Published 9:14 pm Monday, October 3, 2016

The Austin girls soccer team didn’t have any trouble finding shots on goal, but it couldn’t make them count as it lost 2-1 to Red Wing in Art Hass Stadium Monday.

The Packers (4-8-1 overall, 2-7 Big Nine) fired off 13 shots on goal, but the only one that found the back of the net was when Isabelle Leuer scored off her own rebound to tie things up at 1-1 with 35:09 left in the game.

Austin’s Maya Wuertz controls the ball for the Packers against Red Wing in Art Hass Stadium Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Maya Wuertz controls the ball for the Packers against Red Wing in Art Hass Stadium Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Sydney Marsh nearly gave the Packers a 2-1 lead, but Paige Harlow made a big save to preserve the lead for the Wingers (4-7-2 overall, 2-6-1 Big Nine). Just a couple of minutes later, RW took the lead for good when Nadine Marty scored her second goal of the night.

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“We’ve just got to focus on playing our style and making opportunities. I think the girls did a great job of making opportunities tonight,” Austin head coach Jake Levisen said.

Austin closed out the game with a flurry as Emily Hegna, Paige Raymond and Isabelle Reuter all put pressure on the Winger defense. Unfortunately for Austin, that push didn’t result in a goal, but the Packers did show a strong level of intensity.

Sydney Marsh controls the ball for the Packers in Art Hass Stadium Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Sydney Marsh controls the ball for the Packers in Art Hass Stadium Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

“They need to treat every game like it’s their last. That’s how they have to play,” Levisen said. “You have to leave it all on the field and give one hundred percent effort. We saw bits and pieces of that and that’s great. There’s other pieces where we know we have to improve.”

Myia Hoium had four saves in net for the Packers, who will host Owatonna 7 p.m. Tuesday and play at Albert Lea 7 p.m. Thursday before opening the Section 2A tournament Oct. 10.

Austin’s Monica Vargas controls the ball for the Packers in Art Hass Stadium Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Monica Vargas controls the ball for the Packers in Art Hass Stadium Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

The Packers are hoping to use this week to prepare for the postseason.

“The biggest thing is to get mentally focused and understand what we need to do,” Levisen said. “We need to capitalize everything we’ve been practicing on and put it use.”

Austin’s Chloe Sheehan controls the ball against Red Wing in Art Hass Stadium Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com

Austin’s Chloe Sheehan controls the ball against Red Wing in Art Hass Stadium Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com