MARIETTA, Ohio - After falling behind in the opening minutes, Centre rallied for two first-half goals to take out Marietta, 2-1, on Sunday afternoon.
Marietta struck for a goal in the 2nd minute to grab a quick lead. From there, the ball and field were dominated by Centre. Four shots came in a 90-second span from the 8th to the 10th minutes. None scored, but it set the tone for the remainder of the game. The equalizer came in the 18th minute as
Ava Quinn found
Zara McCarthy for a goal. McCarthy's fourth of the season leveled the day at 1. Quinn nearly had her own tally in the 22nd minute but was denied. The Colonels continued their relentless pressure and were rewarded in the 29th minute.
Claire Cavacini took possession and laced a perfect shot to the corner of the net to give Centre a 2-1 lead.
Mary Martin Hampton was denied a goal in the 32nd minute thanks to a leaping save from the Marietta keeper. Centre's next best chance came in the 42nd minute, but
Brooke Beasley could not convert on a penalty kick. Centre settled for the 2-1 lead at halftime.
Marietta had a chance for the tie in the 62nd minute, but a break went Centre's way as the ball struck the crossbar. The Pioneers had 2 more chances in the following seconds but
Madeline Redmon was there to keep the ball out. The scare would prove to be the last real threat from Marietta. Centre flipped the field and continued firing on goal but were unable to find the net en route to the win.
Despite the 1-goal margin of victory, the Colonels controlled much of the day. They outshot the Pioneers, 23-6 overall, including 14-2 on goal. Centre also drew 5 corners to just 2 for Marietta.
With the win, the Colonels wrap up non-conference play at 4-2-3. The team now turns its focus to the SAA, starting with a trip to Berry on Friday starting at 5:00pm.
