WILLMAR — The Willmar and St. Cloud Tech boys soccer teams didn’t give each other an inch Thursday night.
The Cardinals and Tigers tied for the second time this season, 2-2, on Thursday on the Willmar Civic Center turf field.
The teams previously met in St. Cloud on September 3 to a 2-2 tie.
Willmar sophomore Armando Hellejon Macias, 18, scores a goal in the first half of the Central Lakes Conference game against St. Cloud Tech on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, at Willmar Civic. ) and third grader Hermis Alvarado Reyes, 13, react on the central grass field.
Joe Brown/West Central Tribune
“Both teams had a good chance to win,” Willmar head coach Jeff Winter said. “Nobody could capitalize, it was pretty even.
“One of us is going to have to solve this problem in the playoffs.”
The Cardinals scored the first goal of the game in the 7th minute. After Wilman Enamorado was fouled in the penalty area, Hermis Alvarado Reyes took the penalty kick past Tech University goaltender Dane Johnson for a 1-0 lead.
Willmar senior Virgilio Lainez, 3, takes a header during a Central Lakes Conference game against St. Cloud Tech on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, on the Willmar Civic Center turf field. .
Joe Brown/West Central Tribune
The Tigers fought back with two consecutive goals, with Will Pearson and Luke Eink finding the net.
Wilmer scored the tying goal in the 37th minute. The Cardinals got a free kick outside the penalty area. As the players scattered around the box, Armando Herrejon Macias found the ball and slotted it into the net. Hector Robles Ibarra provided the assist.
“For the first 15 minutes or so we had great possession and control, but then it shifted,” Winter said of the first half. “The players showed perseverance and grit and were able to keep it going.”
After a scoreless second half, Winter added: “At times we were able to control the play and create good chances. They had good chances too. It could have gone either way. I thought we had better chances in the second half and we went for it. That was my intention, but it didn’t work out.”
Willmar will be on the fast track in a non-conference match against Little Falls on Friday at 4 p.m. at Willmar.
Willmar junior Abdifatah Ahmed dribbles the ball during the Central Lakes Conference game against St. Cloud Tech on the Willmar Civic Center turf field on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024. do.
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Tech (4-3-5)…………………………….. 2 0 — 2
Wilmar (7-1-4)…………………………… 2 0 — 2
First half – (1) W: Hermis Alvarado Reyes (Wilman Enamorado), 7 min PK … (2) T: Will Pearson, 11 min … (3) T: Luke Eink, 26 min … (4) W : Armando Hellejon Macias (Héctor Robles Ibarra), 37 minutes
Shots on goal – T: 7. W: 6
Goalie Saves – Technician: Dane Johnson, 4 saves … Willmar: Nehemiah Van Horn, 5 saves
Willmar goaltender Kiana Eichhorst made 19 saves in the Cardinals’ Central Lakes Conference loss to St. Cloud Tech in St. Cloud.
“Kiana had a great game, making 11 saves in the first half and eight saves in the second half,” Cardinals head coach Madeline Wartisch said. “We were able to create combinations and keep Tech in pretty good position defensively.”
The Tigers took the lead with a 49th-minute penalty kick, and Molly Berkstrand scored three goals in the second half. Tech outscored Wilmar 25-2.
“Defensively, our backs were active and we worked hard to minimize chances for Tech,” Wertish said. “They fought really hard to be there for the players, move and switch as needed and support each other.”
Weltisch added: “It’s been a tough month with so many games, but today marks the end of three games in four consecutive weeks.Many of our girls have been playing with some sort of injury. , continues to show up for his teammates.”
Wilmar heads to Alexandria for the CLC game on Monday at 5 p.m.
Wilmar (4-10-1)…………………………… 0 0 — 0
Technology (9-2-1)………………. 2 4 — 6
First half – (1) T: Unknown, 13 minutes… (2) T: Maggie O’Hara, 33 minutes
Second half – (3) T: Molly Berkstrand, 49 minutes PK … (4) T: Berkstrand, 60 minutes … (5) T: Berkstrand, 66 minutes … (6) T: O’Hara, 74 minutes
Shots on goal – W: 2.T: 25
Goalkeeper Saves – Wilmar: Kiana Eichhorst, 19 saves … Technician: Ali Day, 2 saves
