PHOTO GALLERY (coming soon)

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Let the rain wash away all the pain of yesterday! That's what the Otterbein men's lacrosse team felt Saturday night when the clock hit all zeros to culminate an impressive 14-9 victory over John Carroll inside a soaked Memorial Stadium.

The Cardinals, playing host during a torrential downpour under the lights, defeat the 3x defending Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) champion Blue Streaks for the first time since 2015. JCU had won five-straight matchups in the series, which included postseason games in 2016 and 2017.

Otterbein improves to 7-3 overall and 2-0 in OAC play with the triumph, while John Carroll drops to 5-4 this season and 1-1 within the league.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• JCU leading scorer Skyler Blake put the visitors on the board first, but it would be all Otterbein from that point. The Cards got three-straight goals from senior Jake Grundey, took the lead for good with 3:42 left in the opening quarter, and ultimately posted a 7-1 run to never look back.
   
• Otterbein led 10-3 after a three-goal stretch in the second period, but John Carroll closed the half strong with two scores in the final minutes.
   
• The Cards scored 13 seconds into the third quarter and regained momentum, but a formidable JCU squad hung tough and only trailed 12-8 entering the final period.
   
• Otterbein made key plays at key times, with the defense limiting John Carroll to just one goal across the final 18 minutes of action.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Grundey and Logan Fenech each roped in a game-high four goals while Judson Huston delivered a hat trick. Joe Sanfillipo added a two-point night.
   
• Senior Mike Roman controlled everything from the middle, winning 17 of 27 faceoffs and scooping up a game-best 11 ground balls. He gave his team routine possession and also scored once himself.
   
• Goalie Zachary Groene stopped eight shots in going the distance, while JCU made a change in the cage midway through the second quarter. Otterbein finished with a 41-30 shot margin.
   
• The Cardinal defense killed two more man-down situations and have now held opponents to an 8 of 43 (.186) output on the season.

 
UP NEXT:

Otterbein will have another two night games next week, hosting Wilmington on Wednesday before traveling to Tiffin for a matchup with Heidelberg over the weekend.