The Bluejay boys soccer team bumped up against two of the top teams in the Valley last week before heading up to Eagle River for Saturday’s eight-team tourney.
After getting roughed up 5-0 by Marshfield last Tuesday, Merrill played solid in a 2-0 loss to SPASH on Thursday. Those squads are tied for first in the WVC with 3-1 records, while MHS dropped to 0-3.
The Jays held off Stevens Point until the 28th minute, when Chia Yang set up Cristian McDonald for the 1-0 lead.
Taylor Durall put it out of one-goal reach with an unassisted score in the 63rd minute.
The Panthers out-shot the Bluejays 16-11, including 16-7 on goal. Nathan Beyer made 14 saves for Merrill.
Tigers out of the tank
The Bluejays gave up two goals in a six-minute span of the Tuesday’s contest at Marshfield. Alex Babinski used a Thomas Kruger assist to net one in the 18th minute, then Matt McCann put home a Austin Gilbert set in the 24th minute.
McCann used an unassisted goal to make it 3-0 just 6:40 into the second 40-minute half, then Gilbert tacked on unassisted tallies in the 58th and 67th minutes to push the score to a tough 5-0 margin.
No details were available for the Eagle River Tournament.