Marietta men's soccer earns 2-1 home win over Otterbein
Baweja and McDonald score goals to help Pioneers gain first OAC victory of 2008

Oct. 8, 2008
MARIETTA, Ohio — Senior midfielder Brad Baweja (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood) scored his first goal of the season and junior forward Deric McDonald (Vienna, W.Va./Parkersburg) added his team-leading seventh of the year to propel host Marietta College to a 2-1 victory over visiting Otterbein College Wednesday on a rainy afternoon at Don Drumm Stadium. The Pioneers improved their record to 6-2-3 overall and 1-0-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Cardinals fell to 3-5-2 overall and 0-2-0 in league play.

Marietta out-shot Otterbein 16-9, including 10-4 in shots on goal, but the outcome remained in doubt until the final horn sounded. The Pioneers dominated the first half of the game but still entered the locker room ahead by one goal. Both teams had their opportunities in the second half but each defense held strong and the game ended with Marietta holding on for the 2-1 win.

Baweja gave Marietta a 1-0 advantage in the eighth minute when he received a corner kick from senior forward Jack Dunn (Aurora) in the middle of the six and headed the ball past Otterbein keeper David Dziedzicki for the goal. Dunn also set up the Pioneers' second goal in the 33rd minute, this time with a cross from the far end of the field to the top of the 18-yard box and the foot of McDonald. McDonald calmly fired the ball on the ground between the keeper and the right post for the goal. The two assists gave Dunn three for the season.

Otterbein pulled within a goal in the 41st minute. Dan Ensign sent a throw in straight into the box and Byron Horton was able to head the ball out of the reach of Marietta senior keeper Steve Hagenau (Clearwater, Fla./Central Catholic) and into the back of the net.

Hagenau finished with three saves in the win, while Dziedzicki finished with seven in the loss.

Marietta is back in action on Saturday (Oct. 11) afternoon when the Pioneers travel to University Heights, Ohio, for a 2 p.m. OAC match-up with John Carroll University. The Blue Streaks entered Wednesday's match-up with Mount Union with an overall record of 4-4-1, 0-1 in the OAC.