MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College opens play in the Ohio Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Tournament at Heidelberg University on Tuesday (Nov. 3) at 2:00 p.m. The Pioneers, seeded fifth, enter the postseason with a 9-9-1 overall record, while the No. 4 seeded Student Princes are 6-8-5 on the season.
Fans can access live stats and live video for the match
HERE.
Heidelberg (4-3-2 OAC) will be a familiar first round opponent for the Pioneers (4-4-1 OAC). Marietta has advanced to the conference tournament five times previously meeting Heidelberg in the first round in each of the last three tournament appearances.
Heidelberg defeated the Pioneers 2-1 last fall and 1-0 in the first round in 2009. Marietta eliminated the Student Princes in the opening round of the 2008 tournament by the score of 4-1.
Marietta qualified for the conference tournament in 1997, 2007-2009 and 2014.
The Marietta/Heidelberg winner plays at No. 1 seed Ohio Northern University (8-1-0) in the semifinals on Thursday.
Tuesday's other first round match features No. 6 Mount Union (4-5-0) at No. 3 John Carroll University (7-2-0). The winner plays at No. 2 seed Capital University (7-1-1) in the semifinals. The highest remaining seed will host the championship on Saturday.
The Pioneers and Student Princes battled to a 1-1 double overtime draw in Tiffin during the regular season. Junior defender Greg Raimondo gave Heidelberg the lead with an unassisted goal in the 18th minute. Senior forward
Taylor Reasoner (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) leveled the match in the 82nd minute with an assist from
Jake Hannahs (Irwin, Pa./Norwin).
The match was a physical one with 24 fouls and eight yellow cards issued. Sophomore keeper
Tyler Sholl (Johnstown, Ohio/Big Walnut) was outstanding in goal for the Pioneers recording nine saves.
Senior forward Chris Koczak leads the Heidelberg attack with nine goals and one assist for a total of 19 points this season. His nine goals rank fifth in the OAC. Freshman keeper Jake Kress has made 12 starts and ranks fifth in the OAC with a 1.36 goals against average. He has posted three clean sheets and made 45 saves.
Leading the way for Marietta is senior forward
Taylor Reasoner (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson). Reasoner is tops on the team with 15 goals and 33 points. He ranks second in the OAC in both categories. Reasoner's 15 goals is the most by a Pioneers since 1984.
Lending support to Reasoner are freshmen
Zach Johnson (Beckley, W.Va./Woodrow Wilson) and
Andy Rolfes (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton). Rolfes, a midfielder, has tallied five goals and four assist for 14 points. Johnson has scored four goals and four assists for 12 points as a forward.
Sholl has started all 18 matches in goal for the Pioneers and is tied for second in the OAC with five clean sheets. His 84 saves rank third in the conference.
Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for senior citizens (62 years and older) and $2 for non-OAC students. OAC students with a valid school ID are admitted free of charge.
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 and Instagram.
