Donovan's overtime goal leads Marietta women's soccer past Mount Union 1-0
Lady Pioneers earn key OAC victory

Oct. 9, 2007
MARIETTA, Ohio — A goal from freshman midfielder Kaley Donovan (Canfield) just 24 seconds into overtime propelled the Marietta College women's soccer team to a 1-0 victory over visiting Mount Union College Tuesday (Oct. 9) afternoon at Marietta Field.

With the win, the Pioneers improved to 7-4-1 overall and 2-2 in the Ohio Athletic Conference. The victory keeps Marietta in the middle of the hunt for one of the six OAC Tournament bids. The Purple Raiders, meanwhile, fell to 3-9-1 overall and 0-4 in the OAC.

Marietta dominated the first 90 minutes, out-shooting Mount Union 18-8 overall and 9-3 in shots on goal. Both team's defenses, however, kept the opposition from getting good looks at the goal and thus the game scoreless.

The Pioneers, who took the ball first in overtime, did not wait long to put the game away. Senior forward Vanessa Nicholls (Cornwall, Ontario, Canada/Cornwall Collegiate). who was celebrating her 21st birthday Tuesday, carried the ball down the right sideline before cutting toward the goal and firing a cross to the middle of the 6. The cross found the waiting foot of Donovan, who blasted the ball into the back left side of the net for the game-winner just 24 seconds into sudden death. The goal was Donovan's second of the season, while Nicholls picked up her fourth assist of the fall.

Freshman goalkeeper Helen Hetzel (Radnor/Buckeye Valley) earned her fifth shutout. She made three saves in the win, which improved her record to 6-2-1 between the pipes.

Marietta is back in action Saturday (Oct. 13) when it plays host to Baldwin-Wallace. The women will kickoff a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The men will follow at 3 p.m. All of the action will take place on Marietta Field.