MANKATO —
Both Waseca coach Terry Nafe and Loyola/LCWM/St. Clair coach Jeff McCabe saw positives Friday as their teams opened the boys soccer season against each other.
Tucker Ulrich broke a 1-1 tie in the 68th minute and Waseca went on to a 3-1 nonconference win at the Loyola field. Jordan Robledo led the Bluejays with a goal and an assist.
“I thought we played pretty well,” he said. “Our defense did a nice job of stopping their forwards, and our forwards were able to run by their defenders. It’s a good starting point for us.
“This was my first varsity game, so I was a little nervous. But once we got into the game the nerves went away. From then on it was just soccer.”
After a scoreless first half, Waseca got on the board first in the 41st minute. Andy Haley took a high-arching pass from Robledo and angled it by Crusaders goalie Malik Baxter from short range. Cody Hyatt also assisted on the score.
Seventeen minutes later, Loyola/LCWM/St. Clair’s Patrick Busch caught up to a through pass behind the defense and went in for a breakaway against keeper Josh Metzdorff. The score proved to be one of only two shots on goal for the Crusaders as Waseca’s back wall of Zach Tobin, Collin Rongstad, Marco Ruiz and Ben Johnson consistently kept the opposing attack at bay.
“I saw some good things out there,” said McCabe, the Crusaders’ first-year coach. “We worked hard, and we made some nice passes.
“We need to get better on our first touches. We gave too many balls up right away, and we need to finish those and keep possession longer.”
In the 68th minute, Ulrich scored his game-winner when he got control of the ball just inside the penalty box and picked the upper-left side of the net for a 2-1 Waseca lead.
Seven minutes later, John Lewer gave Robledo a beautiful drop pass from the right side and the latter buried an 18-yarder into the right corner.
“It was a good start,” Nafe said. “Our defense played well and our offense created some good opportunities. We needed to create a few more but we’ll work on that.”
Waseca outshot the Crusaders 11-2.
Waseca (1-0) is back in action Monday at Red Wing. Loyola (0-1) returns to the field Sept. 4 at New Prague.
Sports
Related Photos
-
Mankato Loyola/Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial/St. Clair's Patrick Busch (left) heads the ball in front of Waseca's Cody Hyatt during their match Friday. Pat Christman
-
Mankato Loyola/Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial/St. Clair's Luke VanBlarcom (left) and Waseca's Luis Castaneda chase down the ball during the first half of their match Friday. Pat Christman
August 24, 2012
George discusses Game 2 performance
West happy with Game 2 win over Heat
Spoelstra on Heat's missed opportunities
Stephenson talks big Game 2 win
Castroneves, Franchitti on making history at Indy
Wertheim: Women's French Open Preview
Mattingly's Dodgers days still may be done
LeBron: 'My turnovers hurt more than anything'
Bosh, Heat not playing up to par
White Hot Heat! Heat vs. Pacers tonight
Cavaliers Use Day Off to Prepare for FSU
Nate Allen is looking for a bounce back season
Seabrook on Canucks series in 2011
Three and Out: Wheeler or Pineda
Cubs' Sveum on Jackson's struggles
Game 4: Blackhawks played against a "really smart team"
Game 4: Blackhawks' Seabrooks "deserved limited minutes"
Game 4: Blackhawks started, couldn't finish
Phil Jackson on leadership: 'You have to follow your intuitive nature'
Phil Jackson on Derrick Rose: 'We like him'
