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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The outcome of a shootout in soccer can come down to a number of things – poise, preparation, skill and luck to name a few.
Marshfield goalkeeper Matt Brown used a little of each to help send the Tigers to the sectional finals.
Marshfield scored three times and Brown saved two shots during the penalty kick shootout following a double-overtime 1-1 draw, giving the Tigers the victory in a WIAA Division 2 boys soccer sectional semifinal Thursday at Griese Park.
Marshfield improves to 19-4-2, a new school record for wins in a season, and will host New Richmond (22-1-2) in a sectional final at 4 p.m. Saturday in a sectional final at Griese Park. The winner moves on to the 2013 WIAA State Boys Soccer Tournament in Milwaukee next week.
“I felt we totally outplayed them today, we just had some bad breaks on some golden opportunities,” Marshfield coach Ron Todryk said. “Pulaski plays very aggressive defense. There’s always six guys around the ball. Both teams know what’s at stake, the season is coming to an end.”
Ryan Hansen scored on a penalty kick 22:04 into the game for Pulaski and that lead held until Marshfield finally got on the board midway through the second half.
Matt McCann slid a shot past Raiders’ goalkeeper Jordan Dietrich at the 62:00 mark to tie the score.
The Tigers missed on a few more scoring opportunities late, including one in the final minute when Chris Pahl hit the bottom left part of the post after the ball bounced by Dietrich.
Both of the 10-minute overtime periods were basically a stalemate as neither team had many solid scoring chances and it went to a shootout.
Both Marshfield’s Austin Gilbert (left post) and Pulaski’s Hansen (high) missed on their team’s first attempt in the best-of-5 shootout.
McCann and Chaz Kestly scored on their team’s next shots. Camilo Mesa scored for Marshfield before Brown stopped a shot by Pulaski’s Jake Kennedy with his shin guard.
Pahl followed with another score for Marshfield, setting up Brown to finish it off for the Tigers. Brown said he saw something in Zach Habeck’s approach that helped him stand his ground. The ball came right to him in the middle of the net and he caught it, setting off a celebration from his Tigers’ teammates.
“I just had to keep calm in my head and not jump off the line too early,” Brown said. “I felt like I was prepared. We had been practicing PKs this week and I thought I was prepared and ready for the moment.
“The first one that I blocked with my shin guard I believe it was more of a miskick, I kind of got a little fortunate getting that one. The second one, he planted his foot and I saw where his other foot was going and I knew I had that and it was amazing.”
Todryk said the team prepared through the week for the possibility of a shootout.
“We rotate three goalkeepers in to see who does the best job at reading, we take a look at who has the best accuracy and then we go from there,” Todryk said. “We have to make sure they aren’t too tired and the most important thing is finding the guys that want them, the guys that want to be there, the guys that are willing to except that pressure.”
Tigers 1, Raiders 1 (2 OT)
Marshfield won shootout 3-1
Pulaski 1 0 0 0 – 1
Marshfield 0 1 0 0 – 1
First half: 1. P, Ryan Hansen (penalty kick), 22:04.
Second half: 2. M, Matt McCann (unassisted), 62:00.
Shootout: M, Austin Gilbert N; Matt McCann Y; Camilo Mesa Y; Chris Pahl Y. P, Ryan Hansen N; Chaz Kestly Y; Jake Kennedy N; Zach Habeck N.
Marshfield wins shootout 3-1.
Saves: P, Jordan Dietrich 13; M, Matt Brown 5.