COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A dominating effort on both sides of the ball propelled Mount Union to a 2-0 season-opening win over Emory & Henry (Va.) at the Capital/Fort Rapids Invitational in Columbus, Ohio.

The Purple Raiders and Wasps played to a scoreless tie heading into halftime, but Mount Union had its chances in the first.  In the 12th minute, sophomore midfielder Chris Motley (Kent/St. Vincent-St. Mary) rifled a shot off the crossbar.  Twenty minutes later, freshman midfielder Tanner Mathews (Alliance/Marlington) posted the lone shot-on-goal in the first half but it was saved by Emory & Henry keeper Justin Spencer.

Mount Union kept the pressure on Spencer in the second half.  The Wasps' keeper saved a Joey Trocchio (Ravenna/Rootstown) shot in the the 55th minute but the Raiders finally came through just moments later, when junior midfielder Chris Felker (Boardman/Cardinal Mooney) posted the first Raider goal of the season, an unassisted strike from the top of the box.

In the 80th minute, Trocchio provided a much-needed insurance goal that gave the Raiders a two-goal lead.

Mount Union held Emory & Henry to just one shot, which was saved by senior keeper Jon Critell (Youngstown/Cardinal Mooney) in the 84th minute.  The shutout marked the 17th in Critell's career, a new school record.

The Raiders (1-0) took 11 shots (five on goal).  Spencer finished the match with three saves for Emory & Henry (0-1).  Mount Union has now won its last two season-opening matches.  The Raiders beat McDaniel (Mo.) 1-0 in 2011 and started the year 3-0.

Mount Union will next take the field on Sunday (Sept. 2) against Wittenberg.  Match time from Capital is slated for 4 p.m.

Mount Union (1-0) vs. Emory & Henry (0-1)
 Date: Aug 31, 2012  Attendance: 112
 Weather:

 Goals by period       1  2  Tot
 -------------------------------
 Emory & Henry.....  0  0 -  0
 Mount Union.........  0  2 -  2

 SCORING SUMMARY:

 SHOTS: Mount Union 11, Emory & Henry 1
 SAVES: Emory & Henry (Spencer) 3, Mount Union (Critell) 1

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