By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

MERRILL — Olivia Haessly returned from an injury to score her first goal of the season, and her sister, Maddie Haessly, scored twice as the Marshfield girls soccer team defeated Merrill 3-0 on Tuesday to grab its first Wisconsin Valley Conference victory of the season.

Olivia Haessly, a junior, scored 12:14 into the game on an assist from Julia Urban, to put the Tigers (3-5 overall, 1-3 WVC) up 1-0.

Maddie Haessly, a sophomore, scored twice in a 5-minute span later in the first half to give Marshfield a 3-0 lead. Molly Field assisted on the first goal.

The Tigers’ defense did the rest, holding Merrill (0-5, 0-4 WVC) to just four shots on goal, all of which were saved by goalkeeper Andrea Carolfi.

“We did not play our best game but played well enough to win,” Marshfield coach Steve Lindner said. “While we know we can do better, it was nice to get that first conference win.

“It sure was great to get Olivia Haessly back for some minutes. She was injured in the first game of the season and played some minutes to slowly get back into action. In the first five minutes she was on the field, she scored.”

Marshfield hosts D.C. Everest on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Griese Park.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

Tigers 3, Bluejays 0

Marshfield 3 0 – 3

Merrill 0 0 – 0

First half: 1. MAR, Olivia Haessly (Julia Urban), 12:14; 2. MAR, Maddie Haessly (Molly Field), 33:01; 3. MAR, M. Haessly, 38:35.

Saves: MAR, Andrea Carolfi 4; MER, Cheyanna Pyka 7.

Records: Marshfield 3-5, 1-3 Wisconsin Valley Conference; Merrill 0-5, 0-4 WVC.