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Little Giants Grab First Soccer Win with 2-0 Victory over Marian

The Wabash College soccer team battled driving rain and a drenched field on Sunday to earn its first victory of the season, claiming a 2-0 win over Marian College of Wisconsin in the 2003 Wabash Soccer Classic at Mud Hollow Field.

Wabash put the pressure on the Sabre's goalkeeper, peppering Marko Dugandzic with ten shots in the first period. But Dugandzic turned shot after shot aside to keep the Little Giants off the scoreboard. Sophomores Jeff Diebel (Ft. Wayne, IN/Homestead) and Aaron Kunkel (Ft. Wayne, IN/Concordia Lutheran) combined for four shots on goal in the first half, but couldn't slip one into the net. Wabash had six shots on goal in the opening period, compared to only two Marian shots that had to be turned away by junior goalie John Taggart (Carmel, IN/Hampden Roads Academy) to preserve the shutout.

The Little Giants kept the offensive assault in tact in the second half, finally breaking the scoreless tie when senior Cody Lawson (Carmel, IN/Carmel) (photo) headed a ball toward the goal. Dugandzic made the save, but the rebound went to to Kunkel, who fired another shot toward the goal. Dugandzic turned it aside, but Lawson blasted another header into the back of the net for the first goal of the season. Wabash added an insurance goal in the final ten minutes of the match when Diebel took a pass from Chris Doty (Longwood, FL/Trinity Prep School of Florida) give the Little Giants the 2-0 victory.

Wabash (1-1) had 21 total shots and 12 shots on goal in the contest. Taggart finished the game with four saves.

The Little Giants return to action on Tuesday afternoon with a 4 p.m. match at Mud Hollow Field against Millikin.