Hawks Garner Tight Overtime Victory To Move To 8-1-1 On The Season

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Sept 13, 2012

Wes Vork-NSO

Typically a 0-0 tie in any sport can be a boring thing and soccer with its typically low scoring could follow that route. However, anyone who thought Thursday’s game between Esko-Carlton and Hermantown, which ended at 0-0 in regulation and saw the Hawks win in overtime was boring
obviously did not attend the game.

“0-0 usually isn’t that much fun, but this was an awesome game; they (Esko-Carlton) are always so tough,” Hermantown Head Coach Scott Larson commented to Northland Sports Online following the game. “It was the type of game that could have ended 0-0; or it could have ended 7-7 also.”

In a very well played game which saw enough up and down action to last for three games, both teams had their chances and whacks at it. Tough defensive and midfield play by both teams limited the goaltenders duties in the first half. Esko-Carlton got two quality chances and Hermantown saw one. Last year’s first team all-conference netminder Courtney Simmons came up with the two saves for the Hawks while DeAhna Kulas stopped the one tough shot for the Eskomos.

Coach Larson talked about strong goaltending changing the flow and pace of the game. “When you have strong goalies it makes the game different. The forwards don’t feel that immediate pressure and every kid on the team has more confidence.”

Although the second half brought more of the same non-stop back and forth action, the scoring chances favored the Hawks, who put six balls on net while holding Esko without a quality scoring chance. First year goalie Kulas was more than up for the job and made all six stops for the Eskomos to send the game into overtime.

During the regular season, overtime in soccer is not sudden death affair, but rather two five minute overtime periods. With just :49 second remaining in the first overtime the Hawks finally solved the riddle on how to get the goose eggs off the board. Lyla Abukhodair managed to get to a ball in the right corner and was able to make a pass to the front of the net. Mackenzie Herzig then let loose with a point blank shot that Kulas was able to get a hand on, but not stop completely, giving the Hawks the only goal of the contest and a 1-0 win after a scoreless second overtime period.

“Their goalie did get a piece of it, and, if she pulls it in it is another nice save; but it managed to sneak through,” explained Larson of the game winning goal. “I was kidding Mackenzie afterward because she has put the ball through the uprights before when she is that close in, but she said she took a deep breath and just put it on net.

“It was a pretty evenly matched game, they finished on a shot and we didn’t finish on a couple of good chances that we had, but overall I am happy with how we played,” Esko-Carlton Head Coach Nicole Peterson. “Our goalie played very well; a close range shot is hard to guess.”

In a muddled and wide open Section 7A soccer bracket, the Hawks move to the top of the pile with an 8-1-1 record at the halfway point in the season. Last year’s section champion Esko Eskomos are at 4-4, but have won three of their last four and continue to improve as they work to replace key players.

“We are very happy with our start but we have to get better every game. We won the previous game (against Grand Rapids) game but I didn’t think we played very well. Esko is awesome and we played very well today but I think we can be a lot better than we were today but we will take the win against a quality team like this.”

The Cloquet Lumberjacks are also right in the mix at 3-3-2. The Jacks have beaten the Eskomos early in the season and tied the Hawks a week ago. Newcomer to Section 7A Princeton could also be right there also after they beat the Eskomos and tying the Lumberjacks. Stay tuned for what is shaping up to be a thrilling second half and playoff time in girls soccer.

Esko-Carlton will be back at it on Saturday in a re-match of last season’s Section Finals when they travel to Lindstrom to take on Chisago Lakes Area in a 12:00pm game. After losing two of the top players in the Section to graduation the Wildcats are still working to find their groove and are 1-3-2 this season.

Wes Vork can be reached at wes@northlandsportsonline.com