MONROE - Center midfielder Taylor Teasdale provided some late-game heroics for the Monroe boys soccer team's brewing rivalry with Evansville.
Teasdale scored a game-tying goal on a penalty kick with 27 seconds to go as the Cheesemakers tied Evansville 3-3 in the season opener at Honey Creek Park Thursday, Aug. 22. The game ended in a tie and the teams weren't required to play overtime because it was a non-conference game.
Evansville knocked off Monroe 3-2 in overtime in a WIAA Division 2 regional championship last year and the Cheesemakers tied Evansville at 2 in the regular season last year. Teasdale wasn't satisfied the season opener ended in a tie.
"We obviously wanted to get revenge from last year," said Teasdale who scored one goal and had two assists. "Getting a tie is a lot better than starting the season with a loss. We didn't play bad for the first game. I couldn't have asked for anything better from the guys for working and pulling out the tie."
The rivalry got heated at the end of the second half when Evansville goalkeeper Will Blain was called for pushing Dan Tinoco to the ground in the box at 79 minutes, 33 seconds. Teasdale powered in the penalty kick to tie the game.
"I was very nervous going to the line," Teasdale said of the penalty kick. "I just wanted to drive the ball to the goal. Going in last year we were the underdogs. I wanted to fulfill that underdog role. I knew we had to get back on defense. I didn't want them to get a cheap one (goal) in the last 30 seconds."
Early on, it looked like the Cheesemakers were the quicker team to the ball. Monroe junior forward Kevin Noriega scored a goal on an assist from Teasdale at 15:42 to give the Cheesemakers a 1-0 lead. Evansville's Zach Wells answered with a goal at 25:28 to tie the game at 1. Monroe senior Evoeny Kondratev, a Russian exchange student, scored a goal at 30:53 on a throw in by Teasdale to give the Cheesemakers a 2-1 lead.
Monroe coach Tony Vasquez wasn't too upset the game didn't go to overtime.
"We had three guys with torn muscles in their quads," Vasquez said. "For us, it was fortunate we didn't go to overtime. We had eight guys play 80 minutes. We didn't have subs. As a player, if a coach told me we weren't playing overtime, I would be upset. Usually, if we have the players we want to play for that win. It's definitely a numbers thing for us."
The injuries for the Cheesemakers include freshman Ryne Miller, freshman Silas Setterstrom (calf) and Kondratev (quad). The Cheesemakers are hosting the Monroe Invitational on Saturday.
"We will have to bring up some JV kids," Vasquez said.
The Cheesemakers out-shot the Blue Devils 14-8, but couldn't hang on to a 2-1 lead in the second half.
"They got fatigued," Vasquez said of the Cheesemakers. "We really ask a lot out of those guys playing 80 minutes. They lasted and if we would have went to overtime and that would have been pushing it."
Monroe junior goalkeeper Austin Murphy had five saves. The season opener also was highlighted by the debuts of exchange students Kondratev (Russia) and senior Alexsi Vainola (Finland).
"They have helped out a lot especially with our numbers," Vasquez said. "They have their own style of playing that they bring and that is exciting."
Teasdale scored a game-tying goal on a penalty kick with 27 seconds to go as the Cheesemakers tied Evansville 3-3 in the season opener at Honey Creek Park Thursday, Aug. 22. The game ended in a tie and the teams weren't required to play overtime because it was a non-conference game.
Evansville knocked off Monroe 3-2 in overtime in a WIAA Division 2 regional championship last year and the Cheesemakers tied Evansville at 2 in the regular season last year. Teasdale wasn't satisfied the season opener ended in a tie.
"We obviously wanted to get revenge from last year," said Teasdale who scored one goal and had two assists. "Getting a tie is a lot better than starting the season with a loss. We didn't play bad for the first game. I couldn't have asked for anything better from the guys for working and pulling out the tie."
The rivalry got heated at the end of the second half when Evansville goalkeeper Will Blain was called for pushing Dan Tinoco to the ground in the box at 79 minutes, 33 seconds. Teasdale powered in the penalty kick to tie the game.
"I was very nervous going to the line," Teasdale said of the penalty kick. "I just wanted to drive the ball to the goal. Going in last year we were the underdogs. I wanted to fulfill that underdog role. I knew we had to get back on defense. I didn't want them to get a cheap one (goal) in the last 30 seconds."
Early on, it looked like the Cheesemakers were the quicker team to the ball. Monroe junior forward Kevin Noriega scored a goal on an assist from Teasdale at 15:42 to give the Cheesemakers a 1-0 lead. Evansville's Zach Wells answered with a goal at 25:28 to tie the game at 1. Monroe senior Evoeny Kondratev, a Russian exchange student, scored a goal at 30:53 on a throw in by Teasdale to give the Cheesemakers a 2-1 lead.
Monroe coach Tony Vasquez wasn't too upset the game didn't go to overtime.
"We had three guys with torn muscles in their quads," Vasquez said. "For us, it was fortunate we didn't go to overtime. We had eight guys play 80 minutes. We didn't have subs. As a player, if a coach told me we weren't playing overtime, I would be upset. Usually, if we have the players we want to play for that win. It's definitely a numbers thing for us."
The injuries for the Cheesemakers include freshman Ryne Miller, freshman Silas Setterstrom (calf) and Kondratev (quad). The Cheesemakers are hosting the Monroe Invitational on Saturday.
"We will have to bring up some JV kids," Vasquez said.
The Cheesemakers out-shot the Blue Devils 14-8, but couldn't hang on to a 2-1 lead in the second half.
"They got fatigued," Vasquez said of the Cheesemakers. "We really ask a lot out of those guys playing 80 minutes. They lasted and if we would have went to overtime and that would have been pushing it."
Monroe junior goalkeeper Austin Murphy had five saves. The season opener also was highlighted by the debuts of exchange students Kondratev (Russia) and senior Alexsi Vainola (Finland).
"They have helped out a lot especially with our numbers," Vasquez said. "They have their own style of playing that they bring and that is exciting."
