PERRYSBURG — Anthony Wayne scored on a trio of set pieces to defeat Perrysburg, 3-2, in a key Northern Lakes League boys soccer game Tuesday at Steinecker Stadium.

AW moves into the driver’s seat in the NLL Buckeye Division, improving to 7-3-1 overall and 4-1 in league play, while Perrysburg falls to 4-2-1 and 3-2 with both losses coming to AW, including 2-1 on August 20.

For two of AW’s goals, AW junior outside back Isaak Stachowiak kicked two perfect free kicks from just outside the goalkeeper’s box, and in both cases the Generals were there to score.

For the other one, AW sophomore midfielder Nate Yokum tossed a 35-yard throw-in straight at the goal, and junior forward Jud Kokensparger was there to score, twisting himself and using his collarbone to knock the ball into the net.

Perrysburg coach Dennis Jeansonne knew that the Generals were dangerous on set pieces.

“It’s what we knew going in. It’s what they do best,” Jeansonne said. “They defend and they play for set pieces and throw-ins. They have a guy who can put the ball anywhere he wants to from 40 yards away on a throw-in, It’s a dangerous tool.”

The Yellow Jackets were first to get on the board after AW senior center back Caleb Householder was whistled for pushing Perrysburg senior defender Sawyer Scheff as Scheff was making a run at the goal inside the box.

Perrysburg junior forward Brayden Heitmeyer, the place kicker on Perrysburg’s football team, took the penalty kick and used his powerful leg and foot, sending the ball to the right of AW senior goalkeeper Gavin Mundo and giving the Jackets a 1-0 lead with 26:30 remaining in the first half.

By that time the Yellow Jackets already had five corner kick opportunities but could not convert on a single one. Perrysburg also controlled 80% of first half possession, outshooting AW 8-5, including 4-3 in shots on goal.

However, it only took 46 seconds before AW tied things up on Yokum’s throw-in and Kokensparger’s goal.

Five-and-a-half minutes into the second half, Perrysburg senior midfielder Omar Tourey had a scoring opportunity, but his shot hit the left post and rebounded.

Less than a minute later, Tourey sent a pass to Heitmeyer, who scored on a 16-yard shot, putting the Jackets up 2-1 with 33:38 remaining in the game.

Then came Stachowiak’s free kicks, both off fouls by Perrysburg defenders just outside the goalkeeper’s box. It took the Generals just 68 seconds after Heitmeyer’s second goal to tie the game up.

On AW’s first shot on goal of the second half, Stachowiak’s kick was met by Yokum, who scored from just outside the net with 32:32 remaining in the game.

Five minutes later, Stachowiak’s second kick, which came from the corner, but was inside the field of play, was met by Householder, who scored what would become the winning goal with 27:32 remaining.

AW coach Brian Billings says that is what his team does best — score on set pieces.

“Set pieces have been our bread and butter all year,” Billings said. “So, when you look at the number of goals we’ve scored off set pieces, it is disproportionate to everything else.

“But it’s just because we have guys who could put service in, the long throw in the right zone, and then we have other guys who can go up and get it.”

After that, Billings said it was all about playing defense, especially after his team got the one-goal lead.

“They are a very good team, and we know that they love the ball — they are good on the ball, and so for us it’s how do we defend the proper spaces, and then when we turn it over can we be efficient?” Billings said.

“Ultimately, it’s about efficiency in both boxes, and so for us set pieces are huge. Anytime we can score off set pieces to change the game around, then it is can you just can you grit it out and defend when they are going to throw everything at you?”

Perrysburg enjoyed a 15-12 advantage in shots, including 10-7 in shots on goal. The Yellow Jackets had a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks, and the game saw 25 fouls, including 15 whistled against AW.

Perrysburg’s shots would be even higher, but the Generals’ back line recorded several non-goalie saves before they could reach Mundo.

To show how dominant Perrysburg’s offense was in controlling possession, the Jackets forced Mundo to take 10 goal kicks and nine punts, while Perrysburg senior keepers Freddie Dowling and Tucker Benge combined for just seven goal kicks and one punt.

Benge, who started, had three saves and Dowling recorded two saves, while Mundo had eight saves for the Generals.

Jeansonne says his team played well, and those numbers help back him up.

“I told them that was one of the better games we played,” Jeansonne said. “We played man coverage, we had scheme, we worked really well and we had more opportunities than we’ve had against them in quite some time, and played extremely well, and gave up three set pieces that they scored on.

“It’s hard to be disappointed with a team with the effort they played, so they did fantastic,” Jeansonne continued.

Perrysburg travels to Whitmer Memorial Stadium Thursday for a 7 p.m. NLL Buckeye Division game against the Panthers, and on Saturday the Yellow Jackets host Lakewood St. Edward for a 2 p.m. kickoff at Steinecker Stadium.