Heading into halftime with a 1-0 lead, Columbus North showed the signs of a team making strides after a weekend in which it played three boys soccer games.
The energy wore off in the second half though, and the Bull Dogs were unable to hold onto the lead against visiting East Central and ended in a 1-1 tie.
North was able to strike first in the match when Graham Keele put the Bull Dogs on the board in the 34th minute. Keele received a pass just outside the box from Martin Figuera, making a nifty move to his right past a defender and wiggling his way toward the goal, putting a shot in the bottom left corner for the 1-0 lead.
“We have been on a little streak,” North coach Tom Pollert said. “We focused on one game this past weekend and kind of let those other two games be like training sessions. So we still feel like we are still on this little winning streak.”
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
The Trojans had their share of opportunities in the first half to score, with their most threatening shot taking place in the 33rd minute. A Bull Dog defender was called for a handball, giving East Central a free kick just out the box, which was deflected out by keeper Noah Kestler.
The Trojans outshot North (3-6-1) 8-5 in the first half, but the Bull Dogs were able to capitalize, putting one of their two shots on goal into the net.
East Central did not waste any time tying the game back up in second half, putting an equalizer on the scoreboard in the 47th minute. Jared Tiemann put a slick move on two North defenders, getting past them into the right side of the box, sending a short cross onto the left side of the goal and finding Brady Spangler for the header.
Neither team was able to capitalize down the stretch, and the Bull Dogs mustered only one shot on goal in the second half. Kestler was strong between the posts, saving three shots.
“We think we are progressing,” Pollert said. “We think we are climbing the steps, and I think the guys tonight thought a tie was a step back for us, which in a way, that’s good because obviously they’re disappointed in the result, but another thing, is we don’t want them to get to the point where they are feeling down about it. I want them to be happy about a tie against a team like East Central. I think are down because they think they are taking those next steps, and they are.”
