PHOTO GALLERY
WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Set pieces would prove to be the difference between Otterbein and Ohio Wesleyan Wednesday night at Memorial Stadium, as the Battling Bishops turned two corner kicks into two goals and emerged victorious in a battle of 2017 conference champions.
Fans were treated to some entertaining back and forth soccer between a pair of recent NCAA Tournament teams, as the Cardinals (OAC) and Battling Bishops (NCAC) each earned automatic bids last year. Both sides would trade opportunities in the early stages of the 2018 showdown, having great chances at net but unable to convert any into goals.
Otterbein saw its best chance in the 43rd minute as substitute
Kamal Mohammed played a through ball to
Pau Piang, who crossed the ball through the box and toward the feet of an unmarked
Ty Borton. Unfortunately, the shot sailed just wide of the net to keep the match scoreless.
On the next sequence, Ohio Wesleyan's Jarrod Ferstl found himself open near the left side of the net but missed wide on another prime chance before intermission. Heading into the break, Ohio Wesleyan owned an 8-5 edge in the shot category as
Collin Hoffmann stopped five of those attempts.
The Battling Bishops took advantage of their set pieces early in the second period, with the first goal coming in the 54th minute as Adam Yingling took the corner kick and found Hector Gomez open at the top right side of the box. Gomez corralled the lofted ball and struck a hard-hit shot with his left foot to beat Hoffmann in the lower right corner.
Ohio Wesleyan had another corner kick shortly after in the 59th minute, as Yingling once again took the attempt and this time finding Charles Branche III at the near post. Branche redirected a quick header into the opposite site of the net for a 2-0 OWU edge.
The Cardinals did not get discouraged, responding with a goal of their own in the 80th minute as
Erick Juarez-Manning fed
Toby Varland just outside of the 18-yard box. Varland did the rest, besting a defender and putting the ball past P.J. Baughman for his first score this year .
Otterbein saw a couple more chances in the final 10 minutes of action behind the hustle of speedy freshman
Paul Hensley, who entered right after Varland's goal and helped the Cards push forward. Hensley blasted one shot that sailed high, and Ohio Wesleyan stacked the box with a plethora of defenders down the stretch to hang on.
The Battling Bishops improve to 4-2 while Otterbein drops to 3-2 on the year. The Cardinals will be back in action Sunday against Hanover inside of Memorial Stadium, hosting the Panthers at 2 p.m.
