By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
NILES – Perhaps it was fitting that Friday night's soccer match between rivals Brandywine and visiting Niles ended in a 1-1 tie.
After all, both teams played well, used the wind to their advantage to score their goals and came away feeling pretty good about themselves.
Both teams have been busy of late. The Lady Bobcats have played six matches the past two weeks.
The Lady Vikings were competing in their third match of the week.
Still, the two units gave everything they had only to come up with a draw.
"Playing three games a week like teams are right now, it's a pretty demanding schedule," Niles coach Jo Schau said. "I thought it was a pretty evenly played match. We did a nice job of dominating the second half despite going against the wind. Sometimes it's better to have the wind in the first half and sometimes it's better to have it in the second half. I guess it was better to have it in the second half."
Niles grabbed a 1-0 first half lead as Ashley Allison scored with just 2:28 remaining.
Allison was able to beat the Brandywine defense on a long pass and then got the ball past a charging Katie Smallwood for the goal.
The match was played around midfield for most of both halves, but the Lady Vikings and the Lady Bobcats were able to put pressure on both goalkeepers from time to time.
Niles keeper Beth Miller had several excellent saves on quality Brandywine chances in both halves.
But with just 2:11 left in the match, Lady Bobcat defender Alexa Perry scored the first goal of her three-year varsity career from about 45 yards out.
Perry got the ball up in the wind and then it landed short of the goal and bounced over Miller's outstretched hands.
"It was all the wind," Perry said. "I thought she had it."
Brandywine coach Evan Winkler was glad to see the ball get in the goal because his squad has lost so many close matches this year.
"It definitely gets frustrating," he said. "Finally we got one. Finally. That was awesome. I was really excited."
Neither team got off a lot of chances because of good defense and the strong, gusty wind.
Brandywine had eight shots on goal compared to nine for Niles.
Smallwood finished with seven saves, while Miller was credited with six stops.
The teams will take the weekend off, but that doesn't mean their schedule is going to lighten up.
The Lady Bobcats have a key Lakeland Conference match on Monday against visiting Bridgman.
The match is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.
The Lady Vikings return to action on Monday as well when they host Mattawan in a Big 16 Conference West Division match.
The match is slated to get under way at 5:45 p.m. following the junior varsity contest.