Sometimes soccer just hurts.  It hurt host Waynesville Thursday night when Columbia-Battle pulled out a long, close fought 3-2 win with a 5-4 shootout at Anderson Field.  While the Tigers  dominated Battle for most of the game, their scoring troubles continued and they were forced into two overtime periods and the inevitiable shootout.

Waynesville out shot Battle 27-11 and had a 16-5 edge in shots-on-goal through the two overtimes.  But Battle’s stiff backline was reinforced by mids and sometimes forwards while its goalkeeper managed 14 saves on the night.  The Tigers rarely had a clean shot within the box.

The Tigers took an initial lead in the game with 8:39 left in the first half.  Forward Zack Sieber, found a long ball served up the left sideline by Gunnar Coonrod and lofted a high chip shot over the goalkeeper’s head for the score.  The Tigers had dominated play up to that point, but were stunned twice beginning four minutes later.  Battle tied the score on a long set piece off a direct kick.  Just over a minute later, a Tiger foul in the box gave Battle a PK which it converted for a 2-1 halftime lead.  

The Spartans seemed content to win 2-1 and simply played defense in the second half.  Waynesville had numerous opportunities.  Sieber made a beautiful volley shot, Brandon Hofmann blasted a hard shot from 20 yards out, and headers by Hofmann and Brandon Burkett were all turned away.  But with 5:43 remaining,  DJ Kaaihue placed a hard shot out of a crowd and a Battle defender was called for a hand ball.  Danny Sesay stepped up and converted it to force the overtime periods.  

Hofmann and Jorge Arriaga had the best scoring chances in the first overtime and goalkeeper Isaac Swanson came up big in the second.  First he made a nice save on a hard free kick, and with 2:12 remaining, he scranbled out of the goal box after a loose ball, went down to try and control it and then saved the game with a deflection.

The Tigers had a 4-3 lead entering the final shootout round, but Waynesville missed while Battle scored to tie it at four.  With the second five shooters lined up, Battle’s keeper saved the first Tiger attempt and the next Battle shooter slotted one into the back net to end the game.  

There was a nice crowd of Tiger fans at the game and they were very vocal in their support.  Waynesville won the JV game 1-0 on a goal by Matt Knell.