By By DAN WEISS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- It wasn't a win, but it was progress.
The Niles varsity soccer team played Sturgis to a 1-1 tie Wednesday evening in a Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference game.
The Vikings, now 0-3-1, scored their first goal of the season when Kyle Kidwell slipped a penalty kick past the Sturgis goalkeeper with 10:34 remaining in the first half.
Kidwell's goal was a bright spot in an otherwise Trojan-dominated first half. Sturgis managed 10 shots on the Niles goal while the Vikings took just one shot at the Sturgis goal. Niles goalkeeper Cory Coquillard had eight saves in the opening period alone.
Sturgis evened the score just before halftime when Lance Modert connected on a free kick outside the box with just 46 seconds remaining.
The second half was much more even, as evidenced by both teams going scoreless. Niles took two shots on the Sturgis goal while the Trojans managed four more shots at Coquillard. He wound up with 10 saves in the game.
The Vikings return to action Tuesday at home against Lakeshore at 6 p.m.