While a loss isn’t usually viewed as a positive thing, there are positive things that can be done during a loss.

The Packer boys soccer team is feeling a little better about itself after falling to Rochester Mayo 1-0 in its home opener Art Hass Stadium Tuesday.

The loss to Mayo (5-1-2 overall, 3-0-1 Big Nine) came a couple days after Austin had lost to Rochester Lourdes, but the Packers put up a much better fight against the Spartans, who took the lead for good when Gabriel Gauthier scored on a put-back off a 50-yard free kick with 3:33 left in the game.

“Overall I’m pleased with how they played and there was nothing missing in how they played. I thought they did well with it and they continued to push and create opportunities,” Austin head head coach Jens Levisen said. “There’s a difference between the loss today and the loss on Saturday in terms of how we played and our focus. It is two losses in a row, but there’s a very large difference with how we played in both of the matches.”

The Packers (3-2 overall, 2-1 Big Nine) had been waiting for their home opener for a few weeks now and the team was happy to finally play on its home turf. Austin senior Victor Velazquez said he was pumped to play in front of the home fans.

“I came in excited and it’s been awhile since we’ve heard our home chants. That kind of amps us up,” Velazquez said. “Everybody on the field played their hearts out, but somebody had to win and unfortunately it was them. It’s just the nature of the game.”

The Spartans have had a stern defense all season as they’ve allowed just one goal in eight contests. They held Austin at bay as well on Tuesday and although the Packers had eight shot attempts, only a few of them were near the net.

“They’re just solid and they’re at team full of solid, talented players,” Levisen said of Mayo. “They know how to play as a team and in the end it fell their way. We had ones that hit the outside netting and they had ones that hit the outside netting that didn’t go in.”

Casey Berg had three saves in the loss for Austin.