LEBANON — Bri Hatfield and her Alton High soccer teammates were under the gun late in their matchup with Belleville Althoff Wednesday night at McKendree University.
They were also under pressure, the rain, under the lights – and under the weather.
But the Redbirds found a way. More precisely, Hatfield and teammate Katie Kercher found a way.
Hatfield took a pass from Kercher and scored with 20 seconds remaining in the game, lifting Alton to a 1-1 tie with Althoff. It was a game that came close to not being played. Because of rainy weather, it was moved from Southwestern Illinois College in Belleville to McKendree’s artificial playing surface.
“(Althoff coach) Jurgen (Hunter) and I were really wanting to get this one played,” Alton coach Jeff Hayes said. “The first time we played was such a good game and we wanted to play again.”
Alton edged Althoff 3-2 March 18 in the championship game of the Metro Cup tournament in Columbia.
With the tie, Alton pushed its record to 5-1-1. Althoff is 6-1-1.
“I feel really good about how the girls played tonight,” Hayes said. “The conditions were what they were. Playing in a little rain is no big deal. Althoff is an excellent team and we were able to beat them and tie them.”
Alton trailed 1-0 at halftime, but picked up the pace in the second half and applied considerable pressure to the Crusaders. They peppered Althoff goalie Rachel Monken with shots – but no goals.
That is, until the waning seconds of the second half.
Kercher, under pressure from four Althoff defenders, sent the ball from right wing toward the left goal post. Hatfield, making a back-post run, popped in the tying goal from about six yards out.
“It was a good run and a great pass,” Hayes said. “We had several chances in the second half and finally put one of them in.”
One of the Redbirds’ other chances came with about eight minutes remaining when Hatfield’s shot that looked to be a sure goal was instead saved by Monken. And with four minutes left, Kercher hit a blast from 20 yards out that hit the crossbar.
Althoff had taken its 1-0 halftime lead n a goal by Amanda Kaltwasser, who out out of a scramble from about 10 yards out.
The Redbirds were without the services of four regulars, including Grace Kane, Lindsey Grossheim, Lexi Schrempf and starting goalie Michaela Lucas. But Hayes found the replacements more than adequate.
“I called up three freshmen from the junior varsity about 45 minutes befoe the bus left Alton,” Hayes said. “And they all played and did a great job.”
Freshmen called up included Emma Voumard, Nora Steiner and Maggie Evans. Another freshman, backup goalie Kaija Ufert, helped anchor the defense.
“(Ufert” did a real good job in goal,” Hayes said, “and the other freshmen who played did, too.”
After they dry off and warm up, the Redbirds will get ready for another nonconference game at 12:45 p.m. Saturday at home at home against Oakville, Missouri. Alton, which is 1-0 in the league, will return to Southwestern Conference action April 10 at home against Belleville East.
