MARIETTA, Ohio – The Marietta College men's lacrosse team was in action Saturday (April 6) afternoon as they were defeated by the University of Mount Union, 15-5. With the win the Purple Raiders improve to 4-6 overall and 2-2 in Ohio Athletic Conference action and with the loss the Pioneers fall to 4-7 overall and 0-3 in conference play.
Mount Union won the opening face-off and scored on its first possession of the game to take a quick 1-0 lead. The Purple Raiders tacked on three more first quarter goals, and entered the second quarter ahead, 4-0.
Marietta got on the scoreboard 30 seconds into the second quarter when
Quinn Rundgren (Angier, N.C./Fuquay Varina) found the back of the net. Mount Union answered with three straight goals, and held a 7-1 edge three minutes into the second quarter. Two minutes later, the Pioneers cut the margin to 7-2 when
Connor Ficke (Saint Leonard, Md./Calvert) scored an unassisted goal. Once again the Purple Raiders tallied three consecutive goals, and led 10-2 with two minutes to play in the half. Marietta scored the final goal of the half with 28 seconds to play, as Rundgren scored his second goal of the game. The Pioneers entered the intermission behind, 10-3.
The third quarter was a defensive battle as the opening five and a half minutes were scoreless, before Mount Union scored. Marietta answered three minutes later when
Chad Stowell (Watertown, Minn./Delano) found the back of the net. The Pioneers defense held the Purple Raiders scoreless for the final nine minutes of the quarter, but Marietta trailed 11-4 to enter the final frame.
Mount Union opened the fourth quarter with three straight goals to extend its lead to 14-4, with six minutes remaining in the game. Four minutes later,
Zach Klein (Evergreen, Co./Evergreen) scored off a feed from
Seth Hower (Leola, Pa./Conestoga Valley) to cut into the lead for the Pioneers. The Purple Raiders scored the final goal of the game, and won 15-5.
Marietta was led by Rundgren as he scored a pair of goals, and picked up a ground ball in the game. Ficke, Klein, and Stowell each pitched in with a goal, and Stowell picked up three ground balls. Defensively,
Daniel Blaine (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) led the way, as he caused a game high three turnover, and picked up nine ground balls.
Jacob Morlando (White Bear Lake, Minn./Stillwater) added three ground balls and caused a pair of turnovers.
Ryan McLane (Avon, Ohio/Avon) was in the goal for the Pioneers, he faced 39 shots, 22 of which were on goal, and made seven saves.
Marietta will return to the field Wednesday (April 10) when they travel to take on Otterbein University with the game set to start at 7 p.m.
Fans can follow all 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.
