By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
METAMORA (August 22, 2024) – For much of the second half, Evergreen stayed ahead of Liberty Center by a slim 1-0 margin thanks to the goalkeeping of Ellie Nash.
But with just over two minutes left in the contest, the Tigers got the equalizer thanks to a free kick that got over the heads of the defense that Calleigh Stoner put in the net in a 1-v-1 to forge a 1-1 tie in the league opener for both teams.
In the first half, scoring chances were at a minimum. The Tigers got off five shots, two were cradled by Nash and neither of those posed much of a threat.
The Vikings had better chances, two of which came from Lyla Radel’s blast from 25 yards out on the left side in the 15th minute, then Addy Gleckler’s angle shot from the same side in the 24th minute that Maddie Sattler made saves on both.
However shortly after her save against Gleckler, a Tiger turnover in their own zone turned into Radel’s drive from 20 yards out on the left side that went over the top into the net for a 1-0 Viking lead with 14:50 to go in the half.
Evergreen had numerous chances to extend the lead in the second half. Bentlie Setmire’s blast from 25 yards out from the right was pulled in by Sattler three minutes into the second.
Annabelle Abec’s header off a corner kick rapped off the crossbar 16 minutes in, then a short time later Gleckler caught a centering pass from Sophia Goodson but pushed her shot just right of the net.
Setmire had another golden try with 10 minutes left in the game when she picked a Tiger pass, but her shot clanged off the post.
Tatum Oberhauser started a four-shot flurry against Nash at the 8:00 mark and had another shot 30 seconds later followed by rebound chances by Stoner and Kinzly Hollenbaugh but Nash knocked all four away to hold the lead.
After a Viking penalty deep in their own zone, a long free kick into Evergreen territory got over the Vikings and Stoner ended up all alone for the pop shot over Nash to knot the game at the 2:19 mark.
Sattler had seven saves for the game as the Vikes put 15 shots in all. Nash totaled six saves out of 10 Tiger attempts.
The Vikings are now 1-1-1 on the year and host Toledo Christian Saturday.