On Oct 12. at 4:10 p.m. on Lang field, boys varsity soccer took on the St. Croix Lutheran Crusaders in their first section game. Fighting the wind, freezing rain, and a recent conference loss, BVS took the win and advanced into the section quarter-finals.
Captain and goalkeeper Cooper Olson was positive going into the game as BVS is currently seeded second, which is five above the Crusaders. “We’ve played them in the past, they hold us tight in the first half but we usually come out with a win,” Olson said.
The game started with warmups cut short as the game began twenty minutes early to limit the playing time in the rain. Players on the field stayed warm with layers of shirts and gloves, on the bench they piled on the blankets and coats. Midfielder Ezra Straub was frustrated with the game conditions. “I don’t like the cold but I’m out here to play so I played,” Straub said.
Starting off in the first half, striker Liam Sullivan scored in the 14th minute with an assist from captain Awaale Osman. The goal was the first and last in the first half despite frequent attempts for a second. Going into the game confident in a win, BVS spent the majority of the first half in the middle of the field running between both goalie boxes as each team couldn’t seem to take control of the ball.
The Crusaders began the second half with a free kick quickly saved by keeper Olson. The game continued to remain on the opposing side with persistent efforts keeping the ball close to the Crusader’s goal. In the 65th minute, captain and midfielder Orion Kim nearly scored as a shot to the net bounced off of the crossbar. Keeping with the momentum, Osman scored the second and final goal minutes later. Ending the game in a 2-0 shutout, BVS triumphed over the competition.
The next section game will be on Oct. 14. against St. Agnes School at 1:00 p.m. on Lang field.