Soccer Game Preview: Murphysboro vs. Columbia

The Murphysboro Red Devils will take on the Columbia Eagles at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday. Murphysboro is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last five games.

Murphysboro is coming into the match fresh off a high-scoring shootout with Anna-Jonesboro that saw the pair combine for 13 shots on goal. The Red Devils won by a goal and slipped past the Wildcats 3-2. Even though Murphysboro got in a bit of trouble with the refs ( David Boudet was handed a red card), the team managed to overcome the adversity.

Boudet and Jonas Schaldemose scored all three of Murphysboro's goals, bringing their combined season tally to 26 goals.

Meanwhile, Columbia's game on Thursday was all tied up 0-0 at the half, but sadly for them it didn't stay that way. They took a 2-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of Chaminade. While losing is never fun, Columbia can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' soccer rankings in their respective home states (they are ranked 117th in Illinois, while Chaminade are ranked 14th in Missouri).

Murphysboro's victory bumped their record up to 10-3-2. As for Columbia, their defeat ended a three-match streak of wins at home and dropped them to 11-5-1.