Minneapolis South Tigers, SLP Orioles Split Soccer Doubleheader

In a rare Friday soccer doubleheader in St. Louis Park, the Minneapolis South Tigers got a pair of first half goals to beat the host Orioles 3-1 and the St. Louis Park girls shut out the Tigers 4-0.

The boys game started out in a torrential rain with two first half goals from Joseph Branca and Brian Medel that led the Tigers to a 3-1 win over the Orioles.

Mpls.South opened up the scoring with a right side goal from Branca.  Medel would tally to put the Tigers ahead by two.  St. Louis Park would cut the lead to one as Miguel Ocampo's corner kick was headed into the net by Abdikafi Warsame and South led at halftime 2-1.

The start of the second half was delayed 30 minutes due to lightning in the St. Louis Park area.  By then, the rain had stopped.  The Orioles had opportunities to tie the game but Jacob Stillman's free kick was blocked and Ocampo's went wide right.  The Tigers would clinch the win on a center slot goal from Sam Kendrick with 4:24 left in the game.

Mpls. South improved their record to 4-2-1 and returns to action on Tuesday, September 27 when the travel to St. Paul Como Park to face the Cougars at 5 PM.  St. Louis Park fell to 3-6-1 and will also play on the 27th as they head to Bloomington Stadium to take on the Jefferson Jaguars at 5 PM.

Now to the girls game.  Rafferty Kugler scored two first half goals to lead the Orioles to a 4-0 win over the Tigers.

St. Louis Park got a break early in the first half when Ellie Kent was fouled and she was awarded a penalty kick.  She put it past Mpls. South goalkeeper Emma Dinger and the Orioles led 1-0.  Kugler would score St. Louis Park's next two goals.  The first would come a little over 2:00 later and the second would come while Dinger was playing outside the net and the junior found an opening on the right side of the net and put the ball in.  The Orioles would extend their lead to four as Ava Bishop would wrap up the scoring as she scored off a pass from Alex Balfour.

Neither team would score in the second half as St. Louis Park assistant coach Brad Brubaker, who filled in for absent head coach Benji Kent sent in reserve players late in the game including reserve goalkeeper Anya Lindell Paulson.  Seven junior varsity player got some second half playing time.  They were, Arianna Balfour, Alliviah McClinton, Emma Leff, Emma Roloff, Hannah Odland, Lola Ruff and Olivia Mosby.

The Orioles improved their record to 6-4 and head to Bloomington Jefferson to take on the Jaguars on Tuesday, September 27 at 5 PM on the turf field on the Jefferson campus.  The Tigers fell to 2-2-1 will host the Minneapolis Washburn Millers on Thursday, September 29 at 3:30 PM.