EDWARDSVILLE - Henry Vivian scored his team-leading sixth goal of the young season, taking a brilliant pass from Madj Hamad to score, as it turned out, the only goal of the game as Edwardsville took a 1-0 Southwestern Conference boys soccer match over a vastly improved Alton side Thursday night at Tiger Stadium.
The Tigers improved to 4-2-0 on the season, while the Redbirds are now 3-2-0, and Alton is a much-improved team from years past, as both teams had many good opportunities, but the goalies - Patrick Henesey for Alton, and both Jayden Bettorf and Colin Schlecte for Edwardsville - stood tall in the nets.
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"Yeah, it was unfortunate, because the keeper had a brilliant save on one of them," said Tigers coach Mark Heiderscheid, "I know the one, because it was tipped, it hit the bar, and everything, I think another bar, but I can't recall on that. I know we had several people get in very deep, just couldn't score. A couple of times, it bounced from the keeper, and we just weren't able to follow up a rebound, because he (Henesey) made a really good save. And so, there were some chances, but it certainly seemed like one of those games where we're just never going to go ahead, and get that second or third goal, which would have completely made it a lot easier and ice the game.
"That said, the one did, and of course, unfortunately, we were let up and get one through on a good run, and then, earn a penalty kick when the guy got dropped down as he's going to goal. But, it's just because it's one of those games, we weren't able to convert on the PK. But you know what? Madj is the one that ended up creating the play that gave us the penalty kick, and he's also the one who made a really good assist to Henry that gets us the goal. So you know what? It's OK that he's the one that steps up there, and he's been good for his PKs and shootouts, so that's one of those things that just happens."
The Redbirds head boys soccer coach Greg Nasello was very proud of his player's efforts and praised them very highly, and the Redbirds were unfortunate not to come away with the three points.
"Well, I mean, you'd like to win the game," Nasello said, "we're disappointed in that. But as far as our effort, you can't criticize it. We played hard from the start, and our guys have gotten better every game, The only downside is that this is the first game we haven't scored this year. So, that hurt us a little bit, but we made chances in the second half, especially. Our defense has been stout, our goalkeeping has been spectacular, we've got a couple of guys out, still, with injuries, and when we get those back, we are going to be OK."
The Tigers did hold off a few good chances as Alton pushed everyone forward to find an equalizer that didn't occur, and the Tiger defense had a lot to do with that.
"I thought we managed the game well at the end, too," Heiderscheid said, "because the players just kind of kept possession towards the end, that was able to ice it."
Both teams felt each other out during the opening 15 minutes, but when chances came. both teams took them. The Alton defense broke up a couple of promising attacks on the goal, while the Redbirds also had good opportunities that were foiled or Bettorf game out off his line to smother.
In the 32nd minute, Hamad had his chance, and zipped through a great pass onto the waiting Vivian, who made no mistake in slotting it home to the lower right corner to put the Tigers up 1-0. It was Vivian's sixth goal on the season, and he and Hamad are becoming a very good tandem for Edwardsville.
It didn't stop the Redbirds, however, and In the second half, Alton put together some attacks that could have been an equalizer, but the Tiger defense stood its ground and thwarted everything. Henesey was also equal to the task at hand, tipping a Hamad shot over the bar brilliantly, then stopping a penalty kick awarded for a push in the back after the hour. The Redbirds and Tigers each had more chances near the end, but the defense pushed everything back as the full-time siren sounded, ending the game with Edwardsville picking up the three points.
The Tigers will compete in the Morton Invitational tournament this weekend up near Peoria, while the Redbirds are home at Piasa Motor Fuels Field Saturday against University City, Mo, in an 11 a.m kickoff, then host Belleville West Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
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