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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Otterbein University picked up its first conference victory of the season Tuesday afternoon, overcoming an early deficit to play to a 3-1 win over John Carroll University at Clements Field.
The Cardinals used a 79th minute goal from senior Morgan Hendrickson that proved to be the difference, improving to 6-4-1 this season and 1-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). John Carroll falls to 3-6-3 overall and 0-2 against the OAC with the loss.
Otterbein nearly scored early on as Hendrickson won a ball going up the right side and eventually fed a pass back into the box. Teammate Jillian Strimbu charged in, but simultaneously met the ball with a John Carroll defender as it ricocheted out of bounds.
The Blue Streaks snuck in a goal at the 15:39 mark, seeing Nicki Bohrer find an incoming corner kick and slip a shot past Otterbein goalkeeper Dana Strimbu and a few Cardinal defenders.
The Cardinals evened the match less than 10 minutes later when Lindy Stemen blasted a long cross from the right sideline that found the head of Jillian Strimbu at the far post. Strimbu cleanly headed the ball into the right side of the net for the equalizer.
John Carroll almost regained the advantage just before halftime when Dana Strimbu was tripped up out of position. Blue Streak junior Kay Ackerly struck a shot towards the open goal, but defender Ali Stone was there to clear the ball off the line.
Both sides went back and forth during second-half action until Hendrickson tallied the game-winner at the 78:18 mark. Freshman Madison Burchfield fought off a JCU defender to keep possession before slipping a pass to Hendrickson, who drilled a shot from the top of the box into the left side of the net.
Burchfield added an insurance goal for Otterbein in the 89th minute, breaking free off a free kick from Amanda Case and dribbling in to beat JCU keeper Haley McDonald.
The Cardinals had a 14-10 shot advantage throughout the match and also took five of the eight corners in the match. Both goalkeepers had three saves in goal.
Otterbein finishes out the week at home, hosting Muskingum University Saturday at 1 p.m.
