AUSTIN &045; First-year Albert Lea High School boys’ soccer coach Elia Romano hasn’t been in town long enough to experience the full intensity of the Tigers’ rivalry with Austin, but he got a good taste of it Thursday.

Although they controlled the pace most of the night and led 2-0 at halftime, the Tigers couldn’t break it open and settled for a 2-1 victory.

Jake Clark scored both Albert Lea goals, assisted by Justin McGinnis and Jeremy Jacobson.

Goalkeeper Ethan Berg played a strong game, according to Romano, as did Jacobson, McGinnis and Taylor Zimmerman.

&uot;I think we came out real strong, had good communication right off the bat, and kept good pressure on the ball pretty much the whole game,&uot; said Romano, whose team improved to 4-2 in the Big Nine and 4-3 overall.

Albert Lea’s junior varsity won its first game of the season, 3-0. Mike Christianson, Kyle Kirsch and Spencer Dahl scored goals, with assists by Kirsch, Cory Ellertson and Ryan Hitchcock. Jon Hatcher was the goalie.

The Tigers host conference-leading Rochester Mayo at 3 p.m. Saturday at Hammer Field.