Written Oct. 27, 2009 by Adam Prescott
MUSKINGUM, OHIO - Otterbein scored three times in the second half and played its way to a 4-0 victory at Muskingum Tuesday afternoon in Ohio Athletic Conference action.
Otterbein began the scoring in the 19th minute when junior defender Hannah Fairbanks scored her first goal as a Cardinal off a corner kick taken by fellow junior Cristen Herold. The Michigan native is in her first year with the team after transferring to Otterbein this past offseason.
After out-shooting the Muskies 12-1 in the opening frame, the Cards settled for a 1-0 lead at the break.
Junior midfielder Rachel Degen extended the Cardinal lead to 2-0 at the 54:49 mark in the second half, with sophomore Adrienne Novak and senior Carly Dent registering assists on the play. Dent tossed the ball into Novak from the sideline, who proceeded to find Degen for the score.
After a Jenny Knox penalty kick made it 3-0 in the 64th minute, senior Megan Cooper capped the scoring with less than nine minutes left to play by scoring her third goal of the fall.
Freshman Rachel Denz tallied an assist on the play to record her first collegiate point.
Otterbein held a 25-3 shot advantage, including a 10-0 edge on corners.
Muskingum goalie Taryn Payton had 15 saves while OC freshman keeper Erin Hartzell, making her first career start, stopped one shot en route to the squad's 14th shutout of the season.
Otterbein is currently riding a streak of 720 minutes played without allowing a goal.
The team, now 7-0-1 in the OAC, returns home for its season finale this weekend with cross-town rival Capital, who currently sit third in the conference. With a victory or an Ohio Northern loss, Otterbein will earn the league's regular season championship and home-field advantage for the postseason tournament.
ONU plays at Marietta on Friday afternoon, while Otterbein's first-kick with the Crusaders is scheduled for Saturday at noon on Clements Field.
