Box Score

ADA, Ohio – The Otterbein University women’s soccer team posted a pair of first-half goals and held off a pesky Ohio Northern University squad to earn a 2-1 road victory Tuesday afternoon.

The win improves Otterbein to 9-4 overall and a perfect 4-0 in Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play. The Polar Bears, ranked No. 21 nationally last week, now suffer their third-straight loss to fall to 6-3-3 overall, 1-3 in league play.

The victory for Otterbein avenges last season’s loss to the Polar Bears, and evens the all-time series record at 14-14 in the process. The Cards had won the last six meetings against ONU before the 3-0 defeat last season in Westerville.

The Cardinals, staying with the theme of scoring early, got on the board in the seventh minute after junior Morgan Hendrickson was brought down from behind in the box. The foul allowed Lindsay Henderson to step up and bury the ensuing penalty kick, giving the sophomore her first goal of the season. Otterbein has now scored a goal within the first 15 minutes in each of the past four matches.

Both sides continued the back and forth action, with Otterbein fending off a few Polar Bear corner kicks over the next ten minutes.

Senior Jessica Yaney helped Otterbein strike again just before halftime, finding her way to a cross from classmate Molly Kroger and blasting it home for a 2-0 lead.

Freshman goalkeeper Dana Strimbu proved steady with four first-half saves for the Cardinals, who used seven subs off the bench in the opening 45 minutes.

Ohio Northern wouldn’t go quietly, cutting the Cardinal lead to 2-1 with an early second-half goal off the foot of Kristina Klusek, who roped a shot from 25 yards out over the head of Strimbu.

The Polar Bears continued to press forward and outshoot Otterbein 10-1 in the second half, with the Cardinal back line of Alex Ancona, Amanda Case, Jill Knox, and Emily Bates helping weather the storm.

Northern nearly drew even late when a cross hit the far post in the 89th minute, but Otterbein would clear the ball and leave with the win.

ONU finished with a 17-5 shot advantage for the match, with both sides attempting four corners.

Strimbu remained solid throughout for the Tan and Cardinal, matching a season-high eight saves in goal while counterpart Erin Waehner had two for the Polar Bears.

Otterbein returns home to finish out the week, hosting Heidelberg University Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. as part of a men’s/women’s doubleheader. Fans are invited to attend the Athletics “Meet and Greet” by the tennis courts between contests.

Fans at the doubleheader will also have the opportunity to purchase t-shirts that will benefit Nationwide Children's Hospital. Click here for more information.