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WAUSAU – Austin Gilbert drilled a direct kick from about 20 yards out to give Marshfield the lead early in the second half and the lead held up as the Tigers defeated Wausau East 3-2 in a Wisconsin Valley Conference boys soccer game Thursday at East High School.
Marshfield never trailed, taking a 1-0 lead when Alex Sainterme scored at the 16:56 mark of the first half.
East tied the score with 3:39 left in the half on an Evan Sorenson penalty kick, but the Tigers quickly responded when Matt McCann scored off a Sainterme assist 26 seconds later and Marshfield held a 2-1 lead at halftime.
“When Alex scored, you could see the spirit of the team ignite,” Marshfield coach Ron Todryk said. “It lit a fire under them and you could tell they wanted to win this one and were going to work hard to get it.”
Wausau East tied the score again when Olajuwan Sitte scored 4:41 into the second half, but again Marshfield responded quickly.
Following a penalty call on East at the 48:50 mark, Gilbert lined up a direct kick, bounced it off a player on the Lumberjacks’ wall that was set up in the goalie box. The ball sailed past East goalie Bryce Taylor into the net to give Marshfield a 3-2 lead.
Todryk said Matt DeGrand and Thomas Kruger were matched up on East’s top scorer, Zang Chang, who scored two goals in the Lumberjacks’ opener Tuesday. The Tigers held him without a goal, which was a key to the win, Todryk said.
“Defensively, we played terrific,” Todryk said.
The Tigers (3-2, 1-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference) return to action Tuesday at home against Merrill. The game begins at 5 p.m. at Griese Park.
Tigers 3, Lumberjacks 2
Marshfield 2 1 – 3
Wausau East 1 1 – 2
First half: 1. M, Alex Sainterme (unassisted), 16:56; 2. WE, Evan Sorenson (penalty kick), 36:21; 3. M, Matt McCann (Sainterme), 36:47.
Second half: 4. WE, Olajuwan Sitte (ua), 44:41; 5. M, Austin Gilbert (direct kick), 48:50.
Saves: M, Matt Brown 6; WE, Bryce Taylor 7.
Records: Marshfield 3-2, 1-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference; Wausau East 2-1, 1-1 WVC.