This story is sponsored by: The University of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – The Marshfield girls soccer team wasted little time in taking control of its WIAA Division 2 regional semifinal against Merrill on Thursday.
Senior Darian Molter scored twice in the first 5:04 and Merrill didn’t get a shot on goal until the final 10 minutes of the game as the Tigers rolled to an 8-0 victory at Griese Park.
Marshfield (9-8-2) move on to a Division 2 regional final against Shawano (13-6-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Griese Park. Shawano defeated Hortonville 6-3 in a regional semifinal Thursday night.
Molter scored off an assist from Julia Urban and on a pass from Emily Goeppinger to give the Tigers a quick 2-0 lead, and lift the playoff-pressure from their shoulders.
“We moved the real well and it was nice to get those goals and settle everything down and get control,” Molter said. “Once we got those goals, we started to possess a little more and work better as a unit.”
Urban, who had three assists and a goal, said the Tigers were ready to go from the start.
“We had a good game and connected a lot of passes,” Urban said. “We had some good goals (early) and, we didn’t back down, but it took the pressure off.”
Molter added her third goal at the 22:31 mark off a deflection by Merrill goalkeeper Taylor Hudzinski.
Goeppinger scored 1:05 later and Molly Field knocked one in off a corner kick by Urban at the 28:23 mark.
Marshfield added two more goals over the next three minutes. Urban hit a bender over Hudzinski and Charlotte Urban drilled in a goal from 20 yards away to put the Tigers up 7-0 at halftime.
Molter scored her fourth goal on an assist by Walker Guzowski 4:34 into the second half for the Tigers’ only score over the final 40 minutes.
The Tigers are playing in Division 2 for the first time in the WIAA playoffs, setting up some unfamiliar matchups after playing mainly Wisconsin Valley Conference and Big Rivers Conference teams in past years.
“We don’t know the strengths and weaknesses, we just have to scout their good players,” Molter said. “It’s nice that we aren’t playing the same teams over and over, and their teams that are more relatable to our skill level.”
Click here for the complete WIAA regional scoreboard
Tigers 8, Bluejays 0
Merrill 0 0 – 0
Marshfield 7 1 – 8
First half: 1. MAR, Darian Molter (Julia Urban), 3:49; 2. MAR, Molter (Emily Goeppinger), 5:04; 3. MAR, Molter, 22:31; 4. MAR, Goeppinger (Urban), 23:36; 5. MAR, Molly Field (Urban CK), 28:23; 6. MAR, Urban, 30:25; 7. MAR, Charlotte Urban, 31:08.
Second half: 8. MAR, Molter (Walker Guzowski), 44:34.
Saves: MER, Taylor Hudzinski 4, Morganne Noland 3. MAR, Andrea Carolfi 2.
Records: Merrill 1-14; Marshfield 9-8-2.