Box Score MARIETTA, Ohio – A hat trick from junior Eric McGinnis propelled the Methodist University men's soccer team to a 7-1 win over Marietta College in the championship game of the Marietta Soccer Classic Sunday (Sept. 2) afternoon. The Monarchs improve to 2-0 on the season and the Pioneers fall to 1-1.

After over 20 scoreless minutes to begin the contest, the Monarchs opened the scoring at the 22:18 mark as McGinnis netted his first goal of the match off an assist from Nahom Hargwoin. Just over six minutes later Anders Petersen made it 2-0 in favor of Methodist when he deposited a pass from McGinnis into the back of the net at 28:36.
 
The goals continued to come in rapid succession as McGinnis gave MU a 3-0 lead on a direct kick at the 31:29 mark and Marietta pulled to within 3-1 two-and-a-half minutes later when sophomore midfielder Todd Sabol (Barberton/Barberton) took a pass from classmate Wesley Riley (Marietta/Marietta) and beat Monarch goalkeeper Pat Hamel.
 
However, the Monarchs tallied two more goals before the break as Eirik Nordseth scored off a feed from Miguel Flores at the 40:51 mark and McGinnis took a pass from Nordseth and completed his hat trick with 1:16 left in the opening half to give Methodist at 5-1 lead at intermission.
 
In the second period, Nordseth fed Mike Ilodigwe for a goal with at the 55:00 mark and the Monarchs capped the scoring with just under nine minutes to play when Travis West tallied his first collegiate goal following a long punt from Hamel that got behind the Marietta defenders.
 
The Monarchs held a commanding 30-4 edge in shots and earned nine corner kicks compared to just one for Marietta.
 
Hamel played all 90:00 in goal for the Monarchs and made one save with the one goal allowed. Junior Chris Stollar (Marietta/Marietta) and junior Bobby Thaxton (Milford/Milford) split time in net for the Pioneers. Each player made four saves, while Stollar allowed five goals and Thaxton two.

Marietta hits the road for its next four matches. The Pioneers play at the University of Scranton on Friday (Sept. 7) at 7 p.m. and at King's College on Sunday (Sept. 9) at 12 p.m.