Staff photo by Travis Rosenau New Ulm’s Yanellie Fernandez kicks the ball down the pitch during a Big South Conference girls soccer game against Marshall on Thursday at New Ulm High School.

NEW ULM — In what was a one-score game at halftime, the New Ulm Eagles opened things up late in the second half thanks to corner kicks and earned a 3-0 shutout over the Marshall Tigers in a Big South Conference girls soccer game Thursday at New Ulm High School.

New Ulm’s three goals came from Olivia Enter, Kiyla Kolden and Morgan Zimanski.

New Ulm ended up outshooting Marshall 18-10 in shots on goal.

It was a game that New Ulm head coach Jonathan Johnson said was needed after back-to-back losses at home to New Prague and St. Peter. Not only was the pressure on New Ulm to stop a downhill skid, but added pressure was on as its starting goalie Ellie Dake was unable to play due to illness.

However, Chloe Sherrod protected the net well in the face of pressure for the Eagles and had 10 saves.

“We had our backup goalie in because the other one is ill,” Johnson said. “[Chloe’s] a defender, but she works out with our goalkeeping coach and during the summer league, she played goalkeeper for the U18 team.

“Ellie texted me this morning, she missed practice yesterday because she was sick and then she texted me this morning and said, ‘I’m still sick.’ And I was, like, ‘Oh, no.’ Because this was a must-win [game] for us. We needed to get back on the right track and as it worked out, good in our favor. [Chloe] was nervous at first, but after warmups and stuff, she was, ‘I’m good.’ And totally relaxed. And she did well.”

New Ulm started as the aggressors, with two shots on goal in the opening minute that were stopped by Marshall keeper Tristynn Justesen. Justesen’s third save was quickly followed by New Ulm’s first goal as a deflected shot off the foot of Kaelyn Eikanger was put back in the net by Olivia Enter for a 1-0 New Ulm lead in the second minute of play.

Marshall controlled the ball after that until the final 20 minutes of the half when New Ulm put up six shots on goal. Justesen remained tough to keep it a 1-0 game, however, with her ninth save of the game being a one-handed diving stop on a shot from Enter.

“The defense, they worked really well together, stepping in front of the shots,” Marshall head coach Matt Versaevel said. “The goalkeeper, she does amazing every game. Just [have to] learn from our mistakes and do better next time.”

Elsie Deutz had two nice looks at the net for Marshall in the second half, but her first shot after a cross was stopped by Sherrod and her second shot of the half went inches over the crossbar.

Jesalyn Skoglund then helped New Ulm add a much-needed insurance goal in the 67th minute after her corner kick dropped just in front of the far post and was put in by Kolden for a 2-0 lead. In the 74th minute, Skoglund had another corner kick that was chipped in the top left corner of the net by Zimanski for a 3-0 lead.

“The goals, New Ulm just had really good shots on the goal and were able to just put it in,” Versaevel said. “For us, we were working really well together as a team, moving to the ball, trying to step in front of New Ulm, they’re just a good team.”

Johnson said it’s been a tough eight days for the Eagles, who have played five games since Sept. 5.

“The game schedule has had a toll on them for like the last eight days,” Johnson said. “And there’s a lot of soreness going on and things like that, but they kept it together, they were playing smart for the most part. We had some excellent crosses and a couple of times we had the person in the right place, couple of nice corner-kick goals. So they put it together tonight and they made it happen.”

Johnson also credited his defenders for taking pressure off Sherrod.

“Yanellie and Yuridia Fernandez were awesome back there, Addi Haynes was awesome back there,” Johnson said. “And our stopper up top Betsy [Joyce] did a good job. Pleased with everybody’s play tonight.

New Ulm, now 4-4, is at Worthington on Tuesday, while Marshall (2-5) is at Minnehaha for a 3 p.m. Saturday game.