By By TOM NYHUIS / Niles Daily Star
BUCHANAN – Heading into Saturday's non-league varsity soccer game, both Niles and Buchanan came in with identical season records of 3-3.
But after 80 minutes, it was the Vikings who made it out of Buchanan with the win, a 1-0 victory over the host Bucks.
It wasn't the lack of shots that led to the low score for Niles. The Vikings were able to get 27 shots off while the Bucks were limited to just five.
"When you have 27 shots to five its just frustrating," Niles coach Jerry Holtgren said of his team not being able to finish. "We have been working on that and that's just frustrating. And that is the difference between a tie game or a loss and a 5-0 game. We just have to start learning how to finish."
After a scoreless first half of play, Colin Freas picked up the lone goal at 33:20 of the second period, on a dead ball throw in assist by Zak Herrmann, as a frenzy of players battled for control of the ball in front of the Buck net.
"We picked up the intensity of the game in the second half," Holtgren said of his teams play. "We controlled the first 20 minutes of the second half. Buchanan played hard and they were aggressive. I know they are young but we came in here knowing they were going to give us a run. We worked the last two days on our dead balls because we have been passing and not going to the ball and trying to win the ball. Last year we scored 16 goals on dead balls and this year we haven't scored any. So we're making it a priority running aggressively to the ball and so I was happy with that."
Buchanan's Tyler Knisley and the Buck defense kept the heat on the Vikings through the entire game with Knisley making nine saves through the 80 minute contest. Seventeen of the Vikings shots on goal sailed high over the net or wide allowing Buchanan to stay in the game.
At the other end of the field Zach Bloss stopped three of the Bucks shots on goal preserving the shutout.
"Things we're practicing on and working on and things we did in the last game that were positive didn't work out," Buchanan coach Brian Pruett. "We had our opportunities in the end. In the last 20 minutes, the kids started doing some of the things that we have worked on." Buchanan's last win was a 8-0 win over Coloma last week. "Even they were two different teams are playing here the things that work we should be able to take it to every game. It just didn't happen today."
Niles…1
Buchanan…0
Halftime Score
Niles 0, Buchanan 0
Second Half
N – Colin Freas, Zak Herrmann (assist) 47th minute
Shots on Goal
Niles 27, Buchanan 5
Saves
Niles 3 (Zach Bloss)
Buchanan 9 (Tyler Knisley)
Records
Niles 4-3, Buchanan 3-4