Marietta men's soccer clinches OAC Tournament berth with 2-1 win at Mount Union
Pioneers to close out regular season Friday against Ohio Northern at Marietta Field

Oct. 28, 2008
ALLIANCE, Ohio — The Marietta College men's soccer team secured a spot in the 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament with a 2-1 victory over host Mount Union College Tuesday (Oct. 28) night at Mount Union Stadium.

The Pioneers, who improved to 9-5-3 overall and 4-3-1 in league play, will finish no lower than sixth place in the standings, which guarantees them one of the six berths into the year-end tournament. It is the third time in school history and second straight season that Marietta will play in the OAC Tournament. The Purple Raiders fell to 6-11-1, 1-7 in the OAC.

Marietta out-shot Mount Union 20-11 overall and 7-5 in shots on goal. Both teams had four corner kicks in the game.

Senior midfielder Drew Craig (Slippery Rock, Pa.) helped Marietta jump out to a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute when he scored his second goal of the season. Craig tracked down a loose ball after a deflection and chipped it over the Mount Union keeper's head from 20-yards out for the unassisted goal.

Mount Union tied the game at 1-1 in the first minute of the second half. Chris Bondra received a cross from teammate Matt McCain at the top of the box and fired it past the keeper and into the back of the net for the equalizer.

The Pioneers retook the lead for good in the 60th minute. Craig sent a cross into the box to senior midfielder Brad Baweja (Kentwood, Mich./East Kentwood). Baweja took the shot from six-yards out and scored inside the far post for the game-winner, his second goal of the year.

Senior goalkeeper Tad Cochran (Westerville/Worthington Christian) got the start in goal and worked a scoreless first half, making one save. Senior Steve Hagenau (Clearwater, Fla./Central Catholic) replaced him to start the second half and made three saves in the final 45 minutes. Bobby Petras had five saves for Mount Union in the loss.

Marietta will attempt to improve its seeding in next week's OAC Tournament when the Pioneers close out the regular season at home against Ohio Northern University on Friday (Oct. 31) at 4 p.m. A Marietta win would lock them in third place and give the PIoneers a home game in the first round of the OAC Tournament. Friday will be Senior Day at Marietta Field.