Tigers beat Spartans 2-1

Published 11:52 pm Thursday, September 15, 2011

When the final whistle blew Thursday, the Albert Lea girls’ soccer team didn’t lead Rochester Mayo in any statistical category except the score.

Nothing else mattered.

The Tigers were outshot 32-12 but held on for a 2-1 win in Rochester.

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Brooke Hanson gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead 22 seconds into the match on a penalty kick, and Katie Williamson scored off a corner kick at the 33rd minute, assisted by Hanson.

The Spartans scored in the 55th minute to pull within 2-1 but Tigers’ goalkeeper, Hanna DeVries, held them scoreless for the rest of the match in her first varsity start.

“She played magnificent,” Tigers coach Rick Barnhill said. “She was brilliant all night long.”

According to Barnhill, the win over Mayo was the team’s first in the eight years he’s been head coach.

The Tigers play again at 9:30 a.m. Saturday in the Albert Lea Invitaional at Hammer Field.