By Todd Fertig
TopSports.news
Hayden and Seaman battled for 100 minutes on the Seaman soccer pitch Thursday night, both leaving with a 1-1 tie and thoughts of what might have been.
Seaman senior Jace Brake (center) is congratulated by his teammates after scoring the Vikings' lone goal in a 1-1 double-overtime tie with Hayden Thursday at Seaman. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Preston Meitner converts a penalty kick for the Wildcats' lone goal in Thursday's 1-1 double-overtime tie at Seaman. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Seaman scratched out a 1-0 lead with three minutes left in the first half. A couple of Viking seniors teamed up for the game’s first goal, with Phoenix Cannon passing to Jace Brake, who managed to out-maneuver a defender and punch a shot past the Hayden goalkeeper.
But while the Vikings had the lead and some momentum to finish the first half, they felt they had let an opportunity slip away.
“We found a goal and we had opportunities to go up two, three to zero. It kind of felt like we left a win on the table tonight,” Seaman coach Tim Nussbaum said. “A tie’s a decent result, but I feel like we should have done better tonight.”
Hayden coach Klaus Kreutzer praised the Wildcats for responding to the Seaman goal.
“That was tough because I thought we played a good first half, but we just had that one hiccup,” Kreutzer said. “To (the Hayden players’) credit, they kept their poise and stayed after it.”
Hayden wrestled the momentum from the Vikings, taking numerous shots on goal early in the second half and withstanding a penalty kick by Seaman.
It was on a penalty kick of their own that the Wildcats got on the board.
Hayden junior Preston Meitner punched the shot by the Seaman keeper to even the score at the 28:42 mark of the second half.
The teams traded near-misses for the rest of regulation.
“I think we got our second wind and played really well,” Kreutzer said. “To keep them out of the goal in the second half was good because they’re a good team.”
The two teams then battled for two 10 minutes overtime periods, but neither could scratch out a sudden-death goal.
Seaman soccer coach Tim Nussbaum discusses strategy with Viking players during Thursday's 1-1 double-overtime tie with Hayden at Seaman. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Hayden juniors Tagen Rodriguez (10) and Victor Rodriguez (12) battle with Seaman junior Blake Toyne for the ball in Thursday's 1-1 double-overtime tie at Seaman. [Photo by Kyle Manthe/Special to TSN]
Both coaches were left to reflect on the hard-fought tie.
“It’s not a letdown because I think (Seaman is) a good team,” Kreutzer said. “To keep them out of the goal and finish 1-1, I’m comfortable. Obviously, I’d like to win. But tying is better than losing.”
“I think the boys gave great effort,” Nussbaum said. “I think they know that we passed and moved OK at times, but we’ve got to pass and move more consistently…to move the ball more consistently. We’d like to grab that win tonight, but we’ll try better next time.”
Hayden (4-5-2) 0 1 0 0 — 1
Seaman (4-5-1) 1 0 0 0 — 1
Hayden — Goal: Meitner.
Seaman — Goal: Brake. Assist: Cannon.
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