EDWARDSVILLE - Zane Maxwell equalized for Edwardsville late in the first half, Keane Burton scored at the outset of the second half, and Jack Kirgan gave the Tigers some breathing room later on to give Edwardsville a 3-1 win over Belleville West in the Southwestern Conference opener for both teams Tuesday night at Tiger Stadium.
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Edwardsville has bounced back very nicely from an opening night 7-0 loss to Gateway Legacy Christian of Florissant, Mo., last Thursday, and are now 2-1-0 on the young season, having won their first game of the year last Saturday afternoon at Moline 3-2.
In the game against West, the Maroons took an early lead against the flow of play, when Braden Missey scored on a breakout to give West a 1-0 lead. The Tigers drew level in the 38th minute, when Maxwell scored off of Kirgan original shot to equalize at 1-1 at the interval.
The Tigers went ahead in the opening seconds on the second half, when Burton hit a shot that crossed the line off the underneath of the bar to open his varsity account, scoring his first-ever goal with the big club, giving Edwardsville a 2-1 lead. Kirgan added the nail in the coffin in the 62nd minute, off an a great through pass from Maxwell to make it 3-1. The Tiger defense stopped the Maroons from there to preserve the three points for Edwardsville.
Edwardsville scored first against Moline in the game on Aug. 30 on the road, then held off the Maroons to get their initial win over the campaign.
Edwardsville is now 2-1-0, and next face Collinsville on the road Thursday night in a 7 p.m. start, then play at Morton Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., and return home on Sept. 9 against O'Fallon in a 6:30 p.m. kickoff.
The Maroons are now 4-2-0, and are at Alton Thursday at 6:30 p.m., then play their first Belleville Derby match against East at Charlie Woodford Field Sept. 9 at 6:45 p.m., then host O'Fallon Sept. 16 in a 6:30 p.m. kickoff at Bob Goalby Field.
