Marshfield’s boys soccer team kept powerful Churchill in check for 40 minutes of their Midwestern League match at Pete Susick Stadium on Monday.

But the Lancers broke loose in the second half, turning a 1-1 tie into a 6-1 victory. Churchill used strong passing and teamwork to control the ball and create numerous opportunities throughout the final 40 minutes.

“We fell apart,” Marshfield coach Tony Preston said of the second half.

“We were happy to be 1-1 (at half). They weren’t. They brought it in the second half and pushed it.”

Marshfield had no answer for the Lancers after halftime.

Just four minutes into the second half, Churchill’s Ian Salisbury sent a crossing pass that teammate Jason Motamedi headed into the net, giving the Lancers the lead for good.

In the 48th minute, Churchill’s Spencer Treffry blasted a shot from about 30 yards out that hit the right corner of the net, beyond the outstretched arms of Marshfield goalkeeper Gage Pallo.

The Pirates, meanwhile, were getting little offensive attack in Churchill’s end of the pitch. The team’s first shot in the half, by Brian Melgar, was wide left in the 60th minute.

Then Churchill added to the lead quickly.

In the 64th minute, Churchill’s Alonzo Reyes beat Pallo one-on-one, pushing the ball into the left corner of the net to make it 4-1. T.J. Prentice added two more goals — the first on an assist by Reyes and the second on a rebound after a corner kick — in the 69th and 73rd minutes.

“I felt like we had two different games,” said Churchill coach Dave Peterson.

“We needed to put the ball in the back of the net. The first half, that was our problem. We dominated play, Marshfield got one shot and tied it.”

Churchill’s players were determined to change things in the second half, Peterson said.

“It was a matter of playing like we know we can,” he said.

Churchill’s first-half goal came in the 22nd minute, when Logan Shaw scored on a crossing pass from Glen Wheeler.

Marshfield answered with its only shot of the first half in the 35th minute, when Adam Alexander sent a through ball over the top of Churchill’s defense and Melgar chased it down and then beat Churchill goalie Peter McMillan.

That turned out to be Marshfield’s only real good opportunity of the evening.

The final 20 minutes of the match got ugly, with bickering between players from both teams that continued after the final whistle, despite several yellow cards being handed out.

Preston could see a difference in how the two teams reacted in the second half.

“When they play hard, they get better,” he said. “When we play hard, we get emotional.”

Marshfield fell to 0-3 in league play, but Preston holds hopes that the Pirates can turn things around and still reach the playoffs.

“This is a team still trying to find ways to play together,” he said. “We’re coming together.”

Things should get easier the next two matches — Marshfield hosts Willamette on Wednesday and visits Springfield next Tuesday. Wins in those two matches, followed by a forfeit to Thurston because of an accidental scheduling error, likely would set up a huge match against North Eugene at Pete Susick Stadium that could help determine the playoff spots. North Eugene beat the Pirates in overtime last week.

Wednesday’s match against Willamette will be an OSAA endowment game. That means that admission will be $6 for adults and $4 for students, rather than the standard $3 for adults and $1 for students that Marshfield charges for home matches. The match will begin at 6:45 p.m.