LAKEVILLE | Marquette’s boys soccer team has a knack for winning close games against Boone Grove this season.
After a one-goal win earlier this season, the Blazers scored two first-half goals and shut down the Wolves offense to win 2-1 Thursday in a Class A LaVille Regional semifinal at Newton Park.
The Blazers (16-3) will face No. 7 Bethany Christian (16-5) in Saturday’s championship. The Bruins beat Wheeler 3-0 in the other semifinal.
Patrick Connelly put the Blazers in front 2-1 in the 35th minute. Jack Disser took a corner kick and sent a low one toward the near post. Connelly stepped up and put a diving header into the back of the net.
“He took the onus upon himself to go and finish the header,” Marquette coach Matt Fletcher said. “Credit really goes to William for having himself another fantastic game.”
Marquette controlled the play for the majority of the contest. The Blazers had a 10-3 edge in shots on goal. Nathan Miller made eight saves for the Wolves (13-5).
Patrick Cannon opened the scoring on Marquette’s first shot. Connelly dribbled in and dropped a pass to Cannon at the corner of the 6-yard box. Cannon’s shot got past keeper Nathan Miller to give the Blazers the lead.
Jake Wright answered for the Wolves less than 3 minutes later. He ripped a blast from 25 yards out that slipped just underneath the crossbar.
“We told the guys from the beginning that if we wanted to score on this team, we had to shoot from the outside,” Boone Grove assistant Marco Perez said.
Perez coached the Wolves as coach Brian Sherwin was dealing with a family matter.
In the other semifinal, defending champion Bethany Christian scored three second-half goals against the Bearcats.
After a scoreless first half, Nate Nussbaum scored in the 45th minute from 40 yards out, and Andrew Snyder scored on free kick from 35 yards in the 51st minute.
“We survived the first half, but they came out in the first 10 minutes of the second half and outclassed us,” Wheeler coach David Bock said.
Patrick Berg made nine saves for the Bearcats (8-10-1).
“He made some really good saves,” Bock said of Berg. “His first half was his best half of the year.”
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