A slow start caught up to the Austin boys soccer team as it lost to Mankato West 2-1 in overtime in Art Hass Stadium Tuesday.

The Scarlets (7-6-1 overall, 3-5-1 Big Nine) took the lead for good when Timothy Baerg launched shot from deep in the corner over the head of Austin keeper Jesus Allejo with 1:46 left in the overtime session.

“I don’t know if he did anything with it, you get a lucky shot every once in awhile,” Austin head coach Jens Levisen said.

The Packers (7-5-2 overall, 3-3-2 Big Nine) tied the game up at one when Jake Hagen-Erickson knocked a shot into the left corner of the net in the 50th minute and Austin had plenty of other chances to score before overtime started.

Francisco Torres created several opportunities for his teammates — including a header that Hagen-Erickson just missed and a crossing pass to Noe Garcia/Marquez that was broken up.

Torres had one of his own shots stopped on a one handed save by West’s keeper.

“We had some point blank (shots) that could’ve gone in and didn’t go in,” Levisen said. “I think (West) was a little winded. Our guys were still fresh and they were going after balls.”

The Packers hurt themselves in the first half, where they didn’t muster any real scoring opportunities and they allowed the Scarlets to take the lead in the eighth minute when William Leitch knocked home a crossing pass from Tanner Johnson.

“We came out and we didn’t play good Austin soccer,” Levisen said. “You can’t start slow and expect to come out ahead. It should be something we should be able to learn from as we move on.”

The game was the last home regular season contest for Austin.