Marietta men's soccer defeats Malone 5-0 in season opener
McDonald scores a pair of goals and assists another in victory

Aug. 30, 2008
MARIETTA, Ohio — The Marietta College men’s soccer team opened the season with a 5-0 victory over visiting Malone College Saturday (Aug. 30) afternoon at Marietta Field.

Head Coach Pat Holguin’s squad took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute when junior Kyle Muth (Twinsburg), last year’s top goal scorer, took a thru ball from junior transfer Deric McDonald (Vienna, W.Va./Parkersburg), beat the keeper and fired it into the back of the net from just outside the goal box.

The duo switched roles to give the Pioneers a 2-0 advantage in the 48th minute. Muth sent a cross from the left that found McDonald’s foot inside the 18-foot box, and McDonald finished with a shot past the keeper. Just over a minute later, McDonald bent a shot with his left foot over the keeper and inside the far post from 18-yards out to extend the lead to 3-0.

Marietta added another goal in the 66th minute when junior Dan Cawley (Marietta) sent a throw-in to the feet of senior Jack Dunn (Aurora/University). Dunn took a one-touch shot from 25-yards away and curled it into the back left of the net. The Pioneers closed the scoring in the 80th minute. Senior Kyle Blankenship (Galloway/Hilliard Darby) took a pass from freshman Foday Kromah (Columbus/Walnut Ridge) and scored off his own rebound to make the score 5-0.

Senior Steve Hagenau (Clearwater, Fla./Central Catholic) worked the first 62 minutes, while senior Tad Cochran (Westerville/Worthington Christian) closed the final 18 minutes to preserve the shutout. Both keepers made one save on the day.

Marietta is back in action on Wednesday (Sept. 3) evening when the Pioneers travel to Wooster for a 5 p.m. match-up with the Fighting Scots.