It didn’t go down into the record book as a win, but the Waupaca girls’ soccer team’s 1-1 tie with Hortonville April 10 is an improvement, according to coach Mark Polebitski.
Alyssa Nicewander scored Waupaca’s first goal of the season 13 minutes into the game off of an assist from Gabby Avery. Nicewander beat a defender and fired a shot from beyond the penalty area to the lower left post.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Taylor Korth stopped nine of the Polar Bears’ 10 shots on goal.
Hortonville’s Miranda Natrop tied the game at the 65-minute mark, with Rachel Swichtenberg picking up the assist.
“We played better as a team for the entire match,” Polebitski said. “There were a couple of breakdowns in the first couple of games. The defensive backs worked hard at denying the easy shot on goal and Taylor kept us in the game. The goal scored against her was a monster shot that was perfectly placed.
“The coaching staff was pleased to see the way Nikky Weise and Maleva Butkiewicz controlled the center of the field,” he added. “Our possession was better this match. We have a long way to go, but we’ll get there. This team works hard every day in practice. Only good things come to teams with their kind of work ethic.”
Waupaca opened Eastern Valley Conference play at home April 14 against Appleton Xavier.