The final score may have been a tie, but the Tigers played strong in their first outing of the season.

The Albert Lea boys’ soccer team tied 1-1 with Kasson-Mantorville Thursday at Jim Gustafson Field.

In what Albert Lea head coach Bob Furland referred to as “a nice play by the whole team,” sophomore Noah Karge scored the Tigers’ lone goal during the first half on a rebound off of the KoMets’ goalie.

Kasson-Mantorville tied the game with about eight minutes left in regulation time off of a penalty kick. The penalty was from the ball bouncing up and hitting an Albert Lea player.

“It was a good call,” said Furland.

The Tigers coach said he has changed the team’s format in his first season at the head coach position, and said his players have adapted well to the play changes.

“The boys played good for their first time out,” he said. “We’re going to get better every time we’re out on the field.”

Next, the Tigers will go on the road to play Byron at 2 p.m. Saturday.