Mascoutah Strikes Back Late, Forces Draw With Columbia

 

       The Mascoutah soccer team battled to a 3-3 draw against Columbia today at Alumni Field. The first few minutes of the game, with both starting goalkeepers (Garet Dunlap for the Indians, Zach Zerban for the Eagles) getting touches early without any major scoring threat. After both teams settled in, the game floated in the midfield, with neither side possessing major advantage. After about 20 minutes, Mascoutah would make a push forward and draw a foul inside the 18-yard box, giving them a penalty kick, which was converted by Sr. D Gavin Christ to make it 1-0 Indians. The Eagles would press forward after that, but would have to wait for a breakthrough.
    With just under 10 minutes to go in the first half, the Eagles would get the tying goal, as one of Elliott Nelson's trademark long throw-ins bounced around in the goal mouth and found the feet of Owen Worcester, who pushed it into the net to even the score at 1-1, which would hold until halftime with no major chances remaining. 
    Columbia would switch goaltenders at the half (a typical strategy so far this year), with Eli Thebeau replacing Zerban between the pipes. The junior would be tested early, as Mascoutah had the advantage early in the 2nd half, but would not break through until about 10 minutes in, when So. Defender Kagen Sconyers chipped one past Thebeau from well outside the 18-yard box to regain the lead for Mascoutah. It would not take long for Columbia to equalize, as Chanse Frierdich would pick up a goal to tie the score at 2, then give the Eagles the lead with 16:30 to play on his 2nd of the night.
    This prompted an uptick in pressure defensively from Mascoutah, and whilst it took some time, the Indians were eventually able to break through, as a fantastic pass from long range found the feet of Kolton Knecht, who managed to get a shot past Thebeau to tie it at 3 with 9 minutes to play. The scoring would end there, leaving us with a 3-3 Final. 

SCORING

1st Half:
20:30 #28 Christ (PK) 1-0 MHS
30:15 #9 Worcester 1-1

2nd Half:

49:04 #18 Sconyers 2-1 MHS
52:50 #21 Frierdich 2-2
63:17 #21 Frierdich (2) 3-2 CHS
71:06 #33 Knecht 3-3