Huelsman leads Waterloo past Zumwalt North with two goals on Astini News

FLORISSANT • The opening-round game of a Pool A game Monday in the 57th annual Bob Guelker/CYC soccer tournament offered Fort Zumwalt North and Waterloo a chance to take the upper hand in the game.

While North missed on its chance, Waterloo did not. The Bulldogs made the most of the team's serious offensive chances in the 2-0 win at James J. Eagan Center.

Forward Jon Huelsman buried two chances in just over three minutes late in the first half to account for the scoring.

"I was just really trying to put the ball on net all night and create some chances," Huelsman said. "We have good team chemistry, and we keep moving the ball real well. We're doing well."

Waterloo (11-1-1) took the lead in the 31st minute when Kameron Williams carried the ball toward the North goal and laid it off to Huelsman just at the top of the penalty area.

Huelsman volleyed the ball once to himself and then ripped a rocket just over the outstretched hands of North goalkeeper Jack Villa and under the crossbar.

"The first goal was definitely highlight reel, ESPN material," Waterloo coach Chad Holden said. "It was nice. They both were, but he has a good supporting cast to help put him in those situations."

The second goal came just three minutes later when Eric Wright laid a ball off for Huelsman and he buried that from about 15 yards.

Huelsman said that one thing he liked about his team's play was that, when it really mattered, they didn't let down.

"We picked up the intensity right after we scored both of those goals," Huelsman said. "We let the intensity drop off in the second half, but we really did pick it up around those goals."

Waterloo goalkeeper Austin Woodcock made four saves. None, perhaps, were bigger than the penalty kick he stopped with just 13 minutes gone.

After Zumwalt North's Evan Stoll was pulled down in the box, Woodcock saw something in Stoll prior to the kick that he used to his advantage.

"He looked at me, then he looked at the right corner, then he looked back at me," Woodcock said. "I had a pretty good idea at that point where the kick was going to go."

Woodcock dove to his left and punched the ball away to keep the game scoreless."

Fort Zumwalt North coach Chris Stockman said the missed kick was emblematic of the game for the Panthers (4-3).

"We have a younger team, and that (missed kick) does kind of sway the game," Stockman said. "If this 2-0 game is 2-1 in the last 10 minutes, we could apply more pressure to get that (tying) goal."

But that wouldn't come to be, as Waterloo seized the lead and held control through its finish.

That came for one very simple reason, Holden said.

"I thought we did a good job of winning 50-50 balls in a good, clean way," Holden said. "We were just going after them and not giving them time to get possession."

McCluer North 1, Alton Marquette 1 • Noah Ligaudais' second-half goal salvaged a draw for the host school.

Connor Clasby earned the assist. 

"It was a pretty good back-and-forth game," North coach Eric Urban said. "They had one really good chance and we had about five. Their goalkeeper really kept them in it. He played outstanding."

Tyler Chu played the first half in goal for North (1-6-2) and allowed the Marquette goal. Dylan Latham made four saves in the second half to preserve the tie.