MARIETTA, Ohio – The Marietta College men's soccer team entered Wednesday's (Oct 30) match against Otterbein University determined to play the role of spoiler and knock the Cardinals out of the Ohio Athletic Conference Tournament, The Pioneers did just that posting a 4-2 win over Otterbein.
Marietta (4-12-1 overall, 1-6-1 OAC) immediately set the tone for the day scoring just 36 seconds into the match. Sophomore
Taylor Reasoner (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) sent a long through ball to junior
Wesley Riley (Marietta/Marietta) who created a one-on-one with the Otterbein keeper. Riley placed his shot into the lower right corner for the lightning quick goal.
Riley made it 2-0 in favor of Marietta in the 15th minute. The Pioneers' leading scorer tallied his eleventh goal of the season when his shot slipped inside the left post.
Marietta stayed on the offensive and struck for a third goal in the opening period. Freshman
Michael Nauls (Burke, Va./Lake Braddock) came up with the ball after a scramble at the top of the 18-yard box. Nauls beat the keeper with a shot to the lower right corner. It was the second goal of the season for Nauls.
Otterbein (8-9 overall, 3-5 OAC) hit the post twice late in the first half and trailed 3-0 at the break.
The Cardinals came out in the second half and turned up the heat on Marietta's defense. The Cardinals fired off 21 shots in the second half to Marietta's four.
While the Pioneers had few scoring opportunities in the second half, senior
Miles Alexander (Bellbrook/Bellbrook) took advantage of one. Otterbein substitute keeper Kiley Gessner left his line but failed to control the ball at the top of the 18-yard box. Alexander took possession and fired the ball into the open net for a 4-0 Marietta lead in the 60th minute.
Junior Jared Pulliam, Otterbein's leading scorer, finally got the Cardinals on the board with a goal in the 76th minute. Sophomore Reid Wolfe drilled the cross bar with a shot and Pulliam buried the follow up shot in the back of the net.
Pulliam pulled the Cardinals within two, 4-2, with a penalty kick goal in the 82nd minute.
The Cardinals finished with a 27-12 advantage in shots including 10-6 in shots on goal. Otterbein took six corner kicks to Marietta's two.
Senior
Chris Stollar (Marietta/Marietta) went the distance in goal for the Pioneers and made eight saves. Seniors Kyle Ripma and Kiley Gessner split the goal keeping duties for Otterbein. Ripma had two saves in the first half, while Gessner did not record a save in the second.
Marietta wraps up the season on Saturday (Nov. 2) with a 3:30 p.m. match at Baldwin Wallace University. Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter.
