Last year Northwestern and Salisbury met twice in the boys soccer postseason. They were two of the best teams in the Colonial League and were the last two standing when the District 11 Class 2A championship game came around.

This year the two are again among the best teams in the Colonial League. They met last week for their first and only regular season game. They played to a 1-1- draw that allowed both to escape without suffering the first loss on their 2016 schedule.

While Northwestern won last year’s league regular season match up 2-0 and then took the postseason match ups by scores of 2-0 and 4-0, this year the teams seem much more evenly matched.

“They have a trio of goal scorers like we have a trio of goal scorers,” said Salisbury head coach Mark Allinson. “They have a good goal tender. We have a good goal tender. Both defenses are pretty tough.

“Both teams are still undefeated. It’s nice to see two Colonial League teams are the only ones undefeated.”

The Tigers (11-0-1 overall, 6-0-1 Colonial League) have more wins thanks to a busier early schedule. But the two teams, which both have several returning players from last year’s playoff qualifiers, looked very evenly matched last Thursday in New Tripoli.

“They’re about as close as it gets,” said Tiger head coach Nate Hunsicker. “I think we’re a little bit more skilled than they are, but I think they’re a little more hard-nosed than we are. And you’re splitting hairs in both categories. They’re a very skilled team. It’s pretty equal.”

That showed for most of Thursday’s contest. The Falcons got on the board when John Yurconic sent a direct kick to the back of the net just 4:10 into the game.

The lead held up until the 11th minute of the second half when the Tigers’ Sam Seyfried scored off an assist from Josh Bryan to make it 1-1.

After another 29 minutes of regulation and a pair of 10-minute overtimes, the score hadn’t changed.

The stat sheet was also somewhat even as the Tigers got off 14 shots, while the Falcons had 10. Northwestern keeper Kyle Bellhorn made 9 saves, while Salisbury’s Tyler Keller made 13. Northwestern had three corner kicks. The Falcons had four.

The game might be a little different next time the two teams meet.

“Us playing on grass takes a while for us to adjust to it,” said Allinson. “It’s a little bit slower game. We had little bit of a problem adjusting to Northwestern’s speed of play. They have a bunch of thoroughbreds running 100 miles an hour. They’ve got some depth. They’re able to bring some people in. I think my guys are gassed but I’m proud of the way they played.

“It’s middle of the season. I’m sure we’ll them again.”

Hunsicker left little doubt about who he expects his team to have to go through for the league title.

“I can all but guarantee we’ll be playing for the league championship,” said Hunsicker. “I think we both feel the same way about each other.”

Before earning another meeting against one another, both teams will have to clinch league playoff berths and win their early-round games.

Salisbury (10-0-1 overall, 5-0-1 Colonial League) is in third place in the league standings, behind Northwestern and Southern Lehigh (5-0 in CL). The Falcons and Spartans will meet in the final game of the regular season on Thursday Oct. 13.

While the teams could be on a collision course for a league title game match up, they won’t have to face one another in districts.

With soccer moving to a four-class format, the Tigers will go on to a the District 11 Class 3A tournament, while the Falcons will play in Class 2A. Both teams have already clinched berths into districts.