Columbus Catholic soccer blanks Wausau Newman to maintain conference lead

Columbus Catholic's Charles Payant, right, battles past the Wausau Newman Catholic defense during the first half of the Dons' 5-0 win Monday at Griese Park. (Photo by Paul Lecker/MarshfieldAreaSports.com)
Columbus Catholic’s Charles Payant, right, battles past the Wausau Newman Catholic defense during the first half of the Dons’ 5-0 win Monday at Griese Park. (Photo by Paul Lecker/MarshfieldAreaSports.com)

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By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com

MARSHFIELD – It took nearly 37 minutes for the Marshfield Columbus Catholic soccer team to find the back of the net against Wausau Newman Catholic, but once it did, the Dons put on a scoring clinic.

Columbus Catholic scored twice in a 3-minute span and added two goals in two minutes early in the second half to roll past Newman Catholic 5-0 in a Mid-State Soccer Conference match Monday at Griese Park.

The win was a must for the Dons, who remain in first place in the Mid-State Soccer Conference, four points ahead of McDonell/Regis. Columbus Catholic (11-0-2 overall, 8-0-2 MSSC) has just two conference games remaining, including the biggest of the season on Thursday at Carson Park in Eau Claire against McDonell/Regis. McDonell/Regis has four games remaining on the conference schedule.

“We need to do what we do best, possess the ball, pass with a purpose, have a build-up attack and hope we get them in the net, and we don’t have to wait for 40 minutes to get a goal,” Columbus Catholic coach Jeff Edwards said. “We have to shoot around the keeper and not at the keeper, and we have to play excellent defense. They have a good offensive team. We have to make sure our marks are tight and it should be a good game.”

Nick Malovhr scored off an assist from Calvin Brown at the 36:44 mark of the first half. Three minutes later, Farid Torbey drilled home a shot to give the Dons a 2-0 lead, which held until halftime.

“We had a number of chances early on in the game,” Edwards said. “We wait until the end of the first half to get that first one, and once we got that first goal, I just knew we kind of broke their will and it snowballed from there.”

Freshman Nadim Torbey started the scoring 2:12 into the second half and he assisted on Alexandra Hutchison’s breakaway goal 2:06 later to put the Dons up 4-0.

The Dons’ final goal came in the 70th minute as a product of a scrum in front of the net and resulted in a Newman Catholic own-goal after a kick ricocheted off the back of a Cardinals’ defender.

The balanced scoring has been a plus all season for the Dons.

“We don’t have that go-to scorer, we just have a bunch that can score,” Edwards said. “We’re more of a possession team, we build it up and distribute well. Goals can be scored by almost anyone at any given time.”

Dons 5, Cardinals 0
Wausau Newman Catholic 0 0 – 0
Marshfield Columbus Catholic 2 3 – 5
First half:
1. MCC, Nick Malovrh (Calvin Brown), 36:44; 2. MCC, Farid Torbey, 39:43.
Second half: 3. MCC, Nadim Torbey (Charles Payant), 47:12; 4. MCC, Alexandra Hutchison (N. Torbey), 49:18; 5. MCC, Newman own goal, 69:59.
Total shots: Newman 6; Columbus 24.
Shots on goal: Newman 4; Columbus 18.
Corner kicks: Newman 1; Columbus 10.
Records: Newman Catholic 4-7-1, 3-4-1 Mid-State Soccer Conference; Columbus Catholic 11-0-2, 8-0-2 MSSC.