Only one team can spoil the Albert Lea High School boys’ soccer team’s hope of a conference championship.

Monday, October 11, 1999

Only one team can spoil the Albert Lea High School boys’ soccer team’s hope of a conference championship.

That team is Winona, which Albert Lea hosts Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Hammer Field for their last regular season game.

&uot;It’s a very important game for us,&uot; said Albert Lea coach Jim Haun. &uot;They’re the only team that can beat us.&uot;

Rochester John Marshal did have a shot to upset Albert Lea’s dream, but neither the Tigers nor JM managed to score Saturday in a 0-0 tie in OT.

&uot;The best thing that can be said is we didn’t lose,&uot; Haun said of the tie. &uot;We didn’t lose. We’re still undefeated in the conference. We didn’t lose ground to JM point wise.

Haun described the Saturday tie as a back and fourth game.

JM started quick, outshooting the Tigers 11-6 in the first half. But the second half belonged to Albert Lea with the 15-11 edge in shots.

In OT, the Tigers outshot JM 5-1 for the 26-22 game edge.

&uot;The shots reflect how the game went,&uot; Haun said. &uot;They took the first half. We weren’t as active in the first half that we should have been.

&uot;We had a number of excellent chances to score in the second half,&uot; the coach added. &uot;But we weren’t able to put anything in the net. It was a very defensive game. Both defenses played well and were able to confront the other team’s attacks.

&uot;That’s why the game ended the way it did,&uot; Haun said.

The Tigers are now 9-3-3 overall and 9-0-3 in the conference. They’re ranked No. 9 in the state in Class A.

The section tournament also starts soon with the Tigers seeded No. 3 in the East Subdivision of Class 1A. Rochester Lourdes, ranked No. 1, is seeded first. Winona Carter, ranked No. 2, is seeded second.