AUSTIN EDITION - Late goals by K-M spell defeat for Austin boys

By Scott A. Kolb

skolb@postbulletin.com

Austin's defense couldn't stop Antonio Rodriguez on Saturday as the forward scored three goals in leading Kasson-Mantorville to a 3-2 victory at Wescott Field.

The Packers held a 2-1 lead over the K-M KoMets at halftime and it carried on well into the second half, but it didn't last.

Rodriguez scored the game's first goal midway through the first half, but Jack Lynch countered for the Packers with a pair of scoring strikes late in the first half. The defenses then took over for the next 35 minutes.

The tide turned against the Packers after a controversial call with 12 minutes, 13 seconds left in the game. With his team trailing 2-1, Rodriguez broke past the Austin defenders.

Tony Nace, an Austin defender, ran down Rodriguez and tried to muscle him off the ball. The referee ruled an interference call and Rodriguez was awarded a penalty shot. The K-M forward fired the ball past Austin goalie Luke Green and the game was tied at 2-2.

Austin coach Steve Modaff argued about the call against his defender, but to no avail. The momentum had swung against the Packers and Rodriguez sealed the deal just a few minutes later. The final goal came with 3:30 left as Rodriguez beat Green off a rebound.

"They had a sweeper hanging back most of the game, but after that second goal it forced him to come up," K-M coach Paul Greene said. "Once they moved up, there was nobody to contain Antonio."

Luke Green had a total of nine saves on the day for the Packers and after the initial goal by Rodriguez, he stopped all K-M shots for nearly the next 50 minutes. This tight defense allowed the Packers to get back in the game late in the first half.

Lynch tied the game with 7:04 left in the first half as he beat K-M goalie Nathan Lipps. Lynch put one by Lipps less than two minutes later and Austin took the lead. The second goal by Lynch came at 5:44 and the Packers carried the lead into halftime.

A couple of times down the stretch in the second half, the Packers had a chance to get that elusive third goal. But they were unable to put the game away and the door stayed open for a late K-M rally.

With 24:26 remaining in the second half, Edgar Vargas got free in front of the K-M net, but he hit the crossbar from 15 feet out. Austin's scoring chances brought out the physical nature of the K-M defense. Things got a little chippy as Taylor Young of K-M was issued a yellow card.

There were 15 minutes left to play, when the Packers missed another close scoring opportunity. Lynch fired a pass to Seth Arnold in front of the K-M net, but again the ball hit the crossbar. The missed scoring chances would haunt the Packers down the stretch.

"We played Austin in our first match of the season and the kids were a little intimidated going up against a Big Nine Conference team," Greene said. "This time, we knew that we could play with them."

Austin boys soccer (4-7-1) hosts St. Peter in another non-conference match on Tuesday night at Wescott Field.

Rochester results

The Mayo boys soccer team remained unbeaten in Big Nine Conference play with an 8-0 win over Winona Saturday.

The John Marshall boys lost 7-0 to Apple Valley in a non-conference game Saturday at JM.

The John Marshall girls lost 8-1 to Eagan in a non-conference game Saturday at Eagan.