Led by two late second half goals, the boys soccer team picked up an important league win at home Thursday night, taking down Louisburg 2-1.
The Cardinals (3-6-2) scored twice in the span of seconds during the last 40 minutes, handing themselves a key Frontier League victory against the rival Wildcats, who entered the game winners of three of their last four matches.
Head coach Darren Erpelding knew this game would push his team for all 80 minutes, but Eudora finding a way to win late proved they could win the close games they will need to win for the rest of this fall.
“This was a big win for us,” Erpelding said. “Louisburg is a really good program. I can’t say enough about how hard our guys worked tonight.”
That sentiment is shared by sophomore goalkeeper Nathan Steinlage, who made several key saves throughout the entirety of the match, propelling the Cardinals to the exciting home victory.
“I think everyone played as a team,” Steinlage said. “Coming out of halftime, we were strong together. We want to keep it rolling from here.”
In the first half, it was the defenses that paved the way, as neither defense allowed the opposing offense to find any rhythm to create quality scoring chances.
Despite several opportunities for both teams late in the opening 40 minutes, neither team put one home, and went into halftime with the score still knotted up at 0-0.
To start the second half, the offenses on both sides started to show serious intensity, but it was Eudora who created the opportunities down the stretch, as the Cardinals started to play collectively as a group more for the remainder of the game.
That intensity carried for the majority of the second half and eventually, it was the Cardinals breaking through with 12 minutes to go, as a Louisburg foul sent senior attacking midfielder Parker Hurla into the box for a penalty kick.
Hurla put one home over the outstretched fingertips of the Louisburg goalie, giving his team a 1-0 lead heading into the homestretch of the contest.
Just seconds after the penalty kick goal, sophomore wing Brayden Hayes took advantage of a defensive miscue by the Wildcats, and instead of the ball being cleared out of play, Hayes stole the ball and shot it into the back of the net to extend the Cardinals’ lead to 2-0.
Hayes felt confident in his ability to score a clutch late goal, and used his knowledge and quick thinking to his advantage to add a second goal on the board for Eudora.
“I saw our team pressuring in high press and then the ball was messed up by the goalkeeper,” Hayes said. “I saw the ball slide right to me, and I finished it.”
Louisburg did not go away quietly, however, as a laser shot that sailed into the top right corner of the net cut the home team’s lead in half to 2-1 with four minutes remaining in regulation.
Even as the Wildcats continued to push the pace offensively moments after their first goal, Eudora forced their ball out of their own end several times in the final minutes to round out the second half.
The time eventually ran out and the Cardinals held on to get their third victory of the season and their second one at home so far in 2022, heading into the final five games of the fall.
The win signaled a potential turning point for the team, knowing if they can get going at the right time, they could put themselves in a prime position heading into postseason play in the weeks ahead.
“We’re excited for this week,” Erpelding said. “It’s a big week for us. We can really jump up in the regional rankings if we take care of business each day. I’d love to go 3-0, but we got to work to get it.”
The team plays its next match at 6 p.m. Monday at home against Heritage Christian Academy in what is the second to last home game for the Cardinals during the regular season.
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Reach reporter Gus Baylow at [email protected]m.
