WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Otterbein split a pair of contests last week, suffering a tough 9-8 overtime loss to Mount St. Joseph before turning back the Milwaukee School of Engineering Sunday afternoon.

The team now stands at 4-8 on the season and will travel to Granville to take on 15th-ranked Denison Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m.

The Cards dug themselves an early hole Wednesday, falling behind 5-0 to the Lions of Mount St. Joseph midway through the second quarter.

However, Otterbein stormed back in the opening minutes of the third, closing to within 5-4 after freshman Graham Shippy found the back of the net with 9:11 to play in the period.

After a Michael Hughes goal tied the game at the 8:56 mark of the fourth quarter, freshman Alex Dowell gave the team its first lead of the game, at 7-6, with a goal just 33 seconds later.

Holding an 8-7 lead with under 90 seconds to play, the Cards allowed the Lions to tie the game and eventually force overtime.

Unfortunately, the Cardinals’ come-back effort would fall short as Mount St. Joe’s would deposit a shot into the back of the net less than two minutes into overtime.

Shippy led OC with three goals while Dowell and Hughes each had two.

Sunday afternoon was a different story, as the Cards began quick by tallying six goals in the first nine minutes to hold a 6-0 advantage after one frame.

The team’s would play even in the second as Otterbein took a 9-3 lead into the locker room for halftime.

Both sides would have to head back into the locker rooms after just seven seconds of play in the second half, as lightning in the area forced a 30-minute delay.

OC would extend its lead to 14-5 by the early portion of the fourth quarter, but Milwaukee refused to quit and clawed to within 14-9 by the 4:32 mark.

It wouldn’t be enough, however, as the Cards hung tough to preserve an eventual 16-9 victory.

Dowell turned in a career day, recording an Otterbein single-game record of six goals.

Hughes notched three goals while Shippy and freshman Adam McGrath each had two.

Freshman goalkeeper Adam Hatchard stopped 15 shots to register 29 saves over the two games on the week. He is averaging just under 13.5 saves per game this season.

After Denison, the team travels to take battle Wittenberg on Saturday. Starting time for that matchup is 1 p.m.