BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - Messiah, ranked #1 in the nation, used a goal in double overtime to defeat ninth-ranked Otterbein 1-0 in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III women's soccer tournament Saturday afternoon at Johns Hopkins University.

Messiah drew a corner kick early, but a header flew fly wide right.

The Falcons had another chance at the 7:30 mark when Erin Hench was near a loose ball in the box, but the Otterbein defense was able to clear it and keep the game scoreless.

The Cardinals then saw an opportunity on a free kick from nearly 30 yards out, but a ball from junior defender Jenny Knox sailed just high and right.

Messiah came right back as Hench worked around the OC defense late in the 15th minute, but saw her shot sail high.

The defending champs took another corner in the 17th minute, but no serious chance surfaced despite Otterbein keeper Tara Carter coming six yards out of the goal.

Messiah’s only shot on goal happened in the 27th minute, but a header from Hench went right into the hands of Carter.

Freshman Molly Newhouse had OC’s only attempt on goal in the last minute of the opening half, but Falcon goalie Autumn Reilly picked it up.

The game would go to halftime locked at 0-0.

Messiah had a chance early on in the second half, but Carter was there to scoop up the ball.

OC had another free kick from Knox in the 57th minute, but the ball sailed just over the head of senior Becky Bowser and out of bounds.  

Back-to-back corners from Messiah happened in the 61st minute, but neither was converted.

The Falcons saw a great opportunity at the 70:36 mark, but a cross into the box went right between the legs of a Messiah player.

Otterbein earned its first corner kick attempt at the 75:04 mark, and a shot from junior defender Hannah Fairbanks found its way past Reilly, but a Messiah defender was standing near the post to deflect it away.

Junior Lindsey Rudibaugh then got some room in the 78th minute but had an attempt sail wide right.

Messiah had a chance in the 83rd minute when Carter came out far from the Otterbein goal, but the OC defense was there again to clear the ball.

The Falcons then had a free kick from 18 yards out after an Otterbein foul, but a wall of defenders stopped the shot just yards from the goal.

The Cardinals had the final opportunity of the second frame, but Newhouse was a few seconds late, colliding with Reilly at the end of the play.

After the play, Messiah leading scorer Amanda Naeher received a yellow card for shoving Newhouse to the ground during a dead ball.

Messiah had three shots in the first three minutes of overtime, but two were blocked by the OC defense and one was saved by Carter.

Sophomore Adrienne Novak fired a shot from 25 yards out at the 93:34 mark, but her shot missed just wide. The Falcons came right back moments later as Carter was forced to stop a shot from Hench.

Amy Horst roped a shot on the Otterbein goal near the end of the first overtime, but Carter came up big again, hauling in her sixth save of the day and forcing a second overtime session.

Hench broke free with just under six minutes remaining in the second overtime, and proceeded to find Amanda Naeher deep in the box. Naeher, the reigning Division III Player of the Year, blasted a shot past Carter to give the Falcons a 1-0 victory.

Messiah held a 14-5 advantage in shots, as well as a 6-1 edge on corner kicks.

Reilly totaled just one save for Messiah while Carter stopped six shots.

Messiah moves on to battle Johns Hopkins in the Elite Eight while the Cardinals end their season at 20-2-1.