MARIETTA, Ohio — Seven different Pioneers scored goals as Marietta College buried rival Muskingum University by the score of 7-1 Wednesday (Oct. 30) evening in Ohio Athletic Conference men's soccer action. The Pioneers improve to 8-8-1 overall and 3-4-1 in the OAC. The Muskies fall to 7-10-1 on the season and 0-8-0 in conference play.
With one game remaining in the regular season, the Pioneers face a must win situation in their season finale against Baldwin Wallace University. The top six teams get into next week's OAC Tournament and Marietta is currently seventh right behind BW.
"I'm happy with our result," Marietta head coach
Joe Bergin said. "Not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but at this stage of the year we just need points. The playoff hunt continues Saturday."
The Pioneers and Yellow Jackets square off at 7 p.m. Saturday on Marietta Field. Marietta will honor its six seniors prior to the match
Luke Maher (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) started the scoring barrage for the Pioneers in the 11th minute.
Caden Ferguson (Mars, PA./Mars Area) found Maher in the box and the Pioneer senior fired the ball into the lower right corner of the net for his second goal of the season.
Connor Kennedy (Nottingham, United Kingdom/Bluecoat Academy) got an assist from Maher for his first goal of the fall. Maher crossed the ball into the six-yard box where Kennedy went upper 90 inside the right post in the 31st minute.
A couple of minutes later
Gavin Long (Surrey, United Kingdom/John Fisher School) tallied his team-leading seventh goal to make it 3-0, Marietta. Long had a shot blocked but was there to bury the follow-up shot into the lower right corner of the net.
An own goal got the Muskies on the board in the 38th minute. Muskingum sent a corner into the box where the ball was deflected in by a Marietta defender.
Will McAlister capped the first half scoring with a header in the 40th minute.
Austin Hilt (Lynchburg, Ohio/Lynchburg-Clay) picked up the assist on McAlister's fifth goal of the year. Marietta led 4-1 at the break.
Unassisted goals from
Jovonni Auddino (Columbus, Ohio/Westerville North) in the 49th minute and
Robert Phillips (Elkins, W.Va./Aquinas Academy (Pa.)) in the 63rd minute extended the Pioneer lead to 6-1. Auddino's goal was his first, while Phillips found the back of the net for the fourth time this year.
Matt Montgomery (Yorktown, Va./Tabb) notched the final goal of the match.
Austin Fligor (Middletown, Ohio/Madison) found Montgomery in the six-yard box and he slipped the ball inside the right post for his second goal of the season.
The Pioneers split time in goal between
Dakota Penquite (Blanchester, Ohio/Blanchester) and
Thomas Williams (Belpre, Ohio/Warren Local). Penquite posted two saves in 61 minutes, while Williams had one save in 29 minutes. Muskingum's Damon Spaeth went the distance in goal and had five saves.
Marietta dominated the match taking 27 shots to just 12 for Muskingum. The Pioneers had 12 shots on goal, while the Muskies had four. Marietta had a huge 16-3 edge in corner kicks.
Fans can follow all of the Pioneer teams all year long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
