Box Score

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – In a battle of perhaps the top-two teams women's soccer teams in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) this season, Otterbein University and Capital University eventually walked away with a scoreless draw Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

Neither the Cardinals nor the Crusaders could find the back of the net over 110 minutes of tough, physical action, putting both teams now at 2-0-1 within league play.

Scoring chances were at a premium to begin the match, with Otterbein's best chance coming midway through the first half when junior Megan McCabe had her shot saved before colliding with Capital goalkeeper Kim Leitch. McCabe would be forced to exit the match with an injury after the play.

Capital almost got on the board in the 32nd minute after a lofted ball bounced over the head of Dana Strimbu, who was charging out of the Otterbein goal, but defender Natalie Ashbrook was there to calmly knock the ball out of bounds.

Both sides continued to battle throughout a rugged second half, with Capital's best chance coming in the 71st minute when an up-close shot from leading-scorer Becca Cartmill trickled wide right.

Otterbein saw the best opportunity of the match near the end of the first overtime, but sophomore Madison Burchfield's shot in a crowded box deflected off the right post, sending the match to a second OT session.

Burchfield nearly ended the match with 4:13 remaining in the second overtime, striking a sliding shot from 15 yards out, that beat a charging Leitch, before seeing a Capital defender in position to clear the ball away for a 'team' save.

Otterbein more than doubled up the Crusaders in total shots, at 14-6, and also held a 7-2 edge in the corner-kick department. The match featured 30 combined fouls and a pair of yellow cards for Capital.

Strimbu had three saves on the Cardinal back end while Leitch managed five for the visitors.

Otterbein will be back in action Wednesday evening, traveling to take on Ohio Northern University at 7 p.m