Donegal and Fitzgerald Named EC Athletes of the Week

2017 Nov 6

Donte Donegal '18 of the men's soccer team and Megan Fitzgerald '18 of the women's tennis team have been named the Elmira College Athletes of the Week for their stellar performances over the weekend.

Donegal, a senior forward for the Soaring Eagles, played the hero in Elmira's 2-1 comeback victory over Susquehanna University on Sunday, September 3. The East Hampton, New York, native provided the game-winning goal in the 64th minute, which helped erase an early one-goal deficit and hand the Purple and Gold their first win of the 2017 campaign. The tally was Donegal's first of the season and ninth of his four-year collegiate career.

The scoring play began in Elmira's defensive third, as Rodney Smith '19, who scored EC's first goal of the game, cleared the ball out of the 18-yard box with a leaping header. From there, the ball found its way to Donegal, who played a quick one-two pass with rookie Michael Courtney '21. The freshman's one-touch pass put Donegal into space, allowing the senior to race past a handful of River Hawk defenders. Donegal eventually split a pair of Susquehanna backs in their own 18-yard box, before sending a shot through the River Hawk goalie's legs for the game-winning score, just the second game-winner of his EC career.

Donegal's goal not only helped Elmira capture its first win of the season, but also the program's first win over Susquehanna since 1994. The victory snapped a two-game skid against the River Hawks, and also gave EC its first win since October 5, 2016.

Fitzgerald, a senior captain for Elmira, had a fantastic season-opening weekend for the Soaring Eagles with a perfect 4-0 record in a pair of dual matches. The Thomaston, Connecticut, native's efforts were key in EC picking up its first Empire 8 Conference win of the season, a 5-4 victory over Utica College, after going winless in E8 play a year ago.

The senior rolled in EC's season-opener against the Pioneers of Utica, dropping just one game while playing first singles and doubles. She teamed up with rookie Katy Jewett '21 for an 8-0 win in doubles, before cruising to a 6-1, 6-0 win in singles action. The following day, Fitzgerald earned another pair of wins at the top singles and doubles positions against non-league foe Brockport. She was an 8-4 winner in doubles and a 6-1, 6-2 winner in singles.

With the wins over the weekend, Fitzgerald moved closer to becoming Elmira's all-time wins leader, as she boasts 67 career victories, just six shy of moving into a tie for the program record. Additionally, Fitzgerald extended a pair of win streaks that date back to the 2016-17 season, as she heads into the weekend with 10 consecutive doubles wins and seven straight singles victories.