NORTHFIELD &045;&160;It started as a beautiful Tuesday night of soccer under the lights.

A soft, warm breeze blew from the southwest.

Northfield likes their soccer pitch wide; 73 yards wide because it forces defenses to spread out.

The Albert Lea girls’ soccer team just watched their male counterparts give only a single goal in their loss to the seventh-ranked team in the state.

How would they fare against Northfield’s ninth-ranked girls’ team?

Northfield head coach Troy Cohrs’ stunned face said it all.

It wasn’t supposed to go this way.

Albert Lea was supposed to be a tune up for the section final; an appetizer before the main course.

At their season opener, Northfield laid claim to the Section 2A crown and a return to the Metrodome.

Instead of a cake walk, the Raiders were fighting to save their season.

The Raiders took the opening kick down the field and crossed a shot to the Tiger goal.

Not to be outdone, Albert Lea immediately returned it down the opposite side and crossed a shot to the Raider goal.

And so the battle was joined.

Each side alternated between pressing their attack and digging in their defense.

But the Tigers drew first blood.

At the eight minute mark, Abbey Arends, off an assist by Laura Hillman, iced the first goal.

It took half an hour for Northfield to tie the game and a minute and a half for Albert Lea to reclaim the lead for good.

With only seconds remaining, Arends pressed her attack through two defenders.

A withering shot slammed into the left post and bounced straight out as Arends, the defenders and the goalkeeper slid to one side.

Following in their wake, Jenna Christensen pushed the ball back across the Raider touch line for the winning goal.

A strong, cold breeze from the west descended suddenly as the second half opened.

It was an ill wind for Northfield.

Both sides tried to find weakness in the other.

The Raiders would take it outside and cross to the center to penetrate, but the Tiger defense turned away all challenges.

Sophie Miller and Anna Sigurdson took turns running down the Northfield attackers and disrupting

their shots.

Morgan Stadheim and Samantha Overgaard took it directly to their other forwards; winning the ball with several strong tackles.

To the end, the locals practiced clock management; putting the ball deep in the Raider corners and tying up precious minutes.

As each minute rung down, Northfield became more desperate to crack the Tiger’s stranglehold on the ball and the game.

As the last few seconds ticked off and with the boys team’s cheers ringing in their ears, the 14th victory of the 2005 season passed into school history.

“I am unbelievably happy for this team,” said Tiger head coach Rick Barnhill.

“Every player made this &8216;W’ a reality.

The entire defense was spot on, disrupting and denying a very fast, physical team.&8221;

Albert Lea travels north to face speedy Lakeville South tonight, which decimated Mankato West 7-0 in the other bracket, and is ranked third by the state’s high school coaches.