Penalty kick sends Trojans to victory

WORTHINGTON -- Rachel Malmgren received a bloody elbow.

The Worthington Trojans received a victory.

With Saturday's girls' soccer game tied at 1-all in the closing minutes of regulation, Malmgren had what appeared to be a breakaway, and perhaps game-winning goal.

However, she was tripped from behind by a New Ulm defender, injuring her elbow and setting up a penalty kick by Worthington's Gabby Boever.

"I was thinking, 'I have to get it in the corner,'" Boever said. "It was a little nerve-racking. Either you're going to win the game, or you're going to tie the game."

Boever was true on her shot and the Trojans were able to run out the clock for a 2-1 victory.

"We've been working hard and playing as a team," Malmgren said. "We're all just showing what we've worked so hard for this year, and it's finally paying off. We're going to end with a boom."

The Trojans are riding the program's first four-game winning streak into the sectional tournament today at Waseca.

"(The winnings streak is) special, especially the way we started the season," Worthington head coach Smitty Ektnitphong, who was coaching his 100th career game, said. "We started 2-3, and then we went through a four-game winless streak with three losses and one tie. Now, we end the season with four wins in a row. I think each time we played better."

Playing their third game in three days, the Trojans continued to be a second-half team.

"I think we got a little boost of energy in the second half and we started to score a little bit more," Boever said. "We were a little tired in the first half, I think."

Worthington had four shots on goal in the first half, while New Ulm (8-9-1) had eight shots. Neither team had a goal to show for their efforts.

"Something we've been working on is our shooting," New Ulm head coach Margaret Weiss said. "We get a lot of shots and we controlled the game, it's just that we can't put them in the net. But it's something we're working on. It's nice that we can at least control the game."

While neither team scored in the first 40 minutes of the game, the Eagles found the back of the goal 14 minutes into the second half.

Lydia Balge kicked a high floater that just went over the reach of Worthington goaltender Emily Penning as the Eagles had a 1-0 lead midway through the second period.

"You have to give New Ulm a lot of credit; they didn't back down an inch," Ektnitphong said. "Everything that we got from them, we had to earn it. Today, we literally had to wear our work boots."

With 11 minutes remaining, Worthington went to work offensively.

The ball was advanced up the field, and after Svenja Wieser battled with a New Ulm defender for control, Nicole Ektnitphong was able to come out with possession.

In the left corner and with two defenders covering her, Ektnitphong crossed to Malmgren, who scored to tie the game at 1-all.

"I think they are starting to get a sense that in that particular play, that's how you have to do it," Smitty Ektnitphong said. "(Nicole) didn't have a shot on goal with two defenders shadowing her down in the left corner. Rachel kept staying back in the middle, and the pass was a copycat of what they did against Sioux Falls Christian."

For Malmgren, the goal was her sixth in the last three games.

"It's been good," Malmgren said of her last three games. "I'm really happy, but I could have never done it without my teammates."

As the score remained tied in the next eight minutes, the Trojans were waiting for their opportunity to win the game.

"I'm not a genius, but we know what we need to do," Ektnitphong said. "The players take it upon themselves to correct it. I point out some things, and they take it, go out there and correct it. That's the sign of a good team."

With 1:45 remaining, Malmgren drew the foul, setting up the game-winner.

"I think we played well," Weiss said. "We're going into sections, so it wasn't really do or die for us. It would have been nice getting a win going into sections, but we'll make due."

New Ulm, the No. 6 seed, will host St. Peter today. Worthington, the No. 9 seed, will take its four-game winning streak to Waseca, the No. 8 seed.

"We still have a lot of work to do," Ektnitphong said. "It's a new season starting (today). Everybody starts 0-0. Hopefully, we can bring some sort of momentum going into sections."