About Bonds

Men win Classic Championship

Date 9/16/2004 1:00 AM | Topic: Sports

The men's soccer team picked themselves up this weekend after a mediocre beginning last weekend. The Norse took first at the Luther College Classic Tournament after going 1-1 against Concordia-Moorhead and St John's, respectively.

The team was down 2-0 to Elmhurst (Illinois) with less than a minute left in the first half after scores by Danny Vogler and Aaron Rossi, when Luther's Eric Henderson ('05) scored on Steve Kain's ('08) feed, bringing the Norse within a goal.

After an early Luther goal by William Nartey ('05), assisted by co-captain Tim Elgin ('05), Elmhurst pulled away again with a goal by Tim Miller, making the score 3-2 Elmhurst.

Almost 20 minutes later, with less than five minutes left in the game, co-captain Jeremiah Reinkoester ('05) set up Elgin to tie the score and take the game into overtime.

After a nice defensive show to start the overtime, Nartey and Reinkoester assisted Henderson in scoring the winning goal, taking the Norse to the championship game.

Goalkeeper Leif Madsen ('08) accumulated three saves, and the defense allowed only six shots on goal.

The men took the energy of the first game into the second game and handed the Maryville (St. Louis) men their first and only loss of the tournament, beating them 7-2.

After Maryville got up early 1-0 on a goal by Joel Barz, the Norse scored three quick goals, all by Henderson, making it 3-1 at the half.

Near the beginning of the second half, Maryville narrowed the deficit with a goal by Matt Regan, but was again shown up by Norse forces that scored another three goals, all within five minutes.

Jordan Hartman ('05), Henderson and John Schroeher ('08) each scored and Brad Reid ('08) picked up two assists. Scott Marx ('07) gave a feed to Dane Jensen ('08) to head in the seventh, and final, Norse goal with seven seconds left in regulation.

Last weekend, the team did not experience the same success; but they did take one of two games on the weekend.

Against St John's, they were outscored 2-1. Both of St John's goals, scored by Tudor Flintham and Matt Haws, came within the first 15 minutes, after which the men settled down and gave up no more goals on eight shots on goal.

However, the damage was done and although they controlled the ball well, the Norse could only muster one goal by Nartey, assisted by Hartman and Reinkoester.

Jason Phillippi, the goalkeeper for St John's, accumulated eight saves in nine chances.

Madsen got his first collegiate career shutout the next day as the team beat Concordia-Moorhead 2-0. He collected four saves in as many chances as the Norse backfield played solid defense.

Kain and Reinkoester scored the two Norse goals, with Henderson, Pete Christensen ('07) and Reid each picking up an assist.

Regarding the split weekend, head coach Doug Mello said, "We'll accept it."

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Gabe Gartner

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