This story is sponsored by: Williams-Gray Co.
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield boys soccer team was on the verge of pulling off the first major upset of the young Wisconsin Valley Conference season. Suddenly, however, the roofed caved in on the Tigers.
D.C. Everest’s Derek Unrau converted on two of four direct kicks in a span of 3 minutes late in the second half to lift the Evergreens to a 2-1 win over the Tigers through a steady, light rain Thursday at Griese Park.
Marshfield led 1-0 when Colin Telin scored as he hooked in a shot from about 20 yards out over the head of Everest goalkeeper Nate Miller into the top left portion of the net.
The goal left the Evergreens a bit deflated and Marshfield’s energy went through the roof. The Tigers controlled the action for much of the next 25 minutes until Everest came to life.
Contact in the goalie box by Marshfield led to a pair of direct kicks for the Evergreens. Marshfield goalkeeper Erik Holm saved the first one from Unrau at the 69:30 mark, but Unrau got one past Holm at the 70:58 mark to tie the game.
Just 50 seconds later, Marshfield committed another penalty and Unrau took another direct kick from the top of the goalie box. He missed, but seconds later the Tigers were whistled again and Unrau connected in the lower left corner of the net to give the Evergreens a 2-1 lead at 72:42.
“We played fantastic for 60 minutes, the only thing is that there is 80 minutes in a game,” Marshfield coach Ron Todryk said. “We lost our composure in the last 20 minutes. We started just kicking the ball from the defensive end. It wasn’t anything they did different; we just kind of fell apart.”
The Tigers had one great chance to tie the game in the closing minute when they were awarded a free kick just past the goalie box, but the shot attempt was blocked by the Evergreens’ front line with a minute to go.
Todryk said he felt the Tigers missed some big chances to open up the game following Telin’s goal, which came just 57 seconds into the second half after a scoreless first 40 minutes.
Marshfield had a pair of shots sail high and two more saved by Miller in a 15-minute span that would have given the Tigers a cushion.
“We had several scoring opportunities that went astray,” Todryk said. “Right after the first one we had three different opportunities. If we put just one of those in, it would have been a different game. When you have some freshmen, sophomores and juniors out there, they just aren’t used to this kind of pressure. This is soccer at a high level.
“We had them back on their heels. We were working our 1-2 touching, we were working our in-and-out balls, we were working our runs. We need to put in a couple of more goals early so that we can maintain our composure in the last 10 or 20 minutes.”
D.C. Everest improves to 7-0-2 overall and remains perfect in the Wisconsin Valley Conference at 3-0.
Marshfield, which falls to 3-2-2 and 2-2 in the WVC, is back into action Friday and Saturday at the Fond du Lac Tournament.
Evergreens 2, Tigers 1
D.C. Everest 0 2 – 2
Marshfield 0 1 – 1
First half: No scoring.
Second half: 1. M, Colin Telin (unassisted), 40:57; 2. DC, Derek Unrau (direct kick), 70:58; 3. DC, Unrau (direct kick), 72:42.
Saves: M, Erik Holm 2. DC, Nate Miller 6.
Records: D.C. Everest 7-0-2, 3-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference; Marshfield 3-2-2, 2-2 WVC.