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WESTERVILLE, Ohio- In the fourth-straight Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Tournament Championship match featuring Otterbein and Ohio Northern, it was the Polar Bears who claimed victory, 1-0.

With their victory, the Polar Bears earn the OAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament; the Cardinals (15-3) will await their postseason fate until Monday's selection show.

Neither side was able to break the scoreless tie in the first half despite quality chances on both ends of the field. Most notably, the Polar Bears forced Alaina Reher into action just 10 seconds into the contest, where she made her first of five saves in half.

The Cardinals failed to score in the first half despite quality offensive possessions as ONU posted an 8-3 shot advantage.

It took the Polar Bears just 53 seconds into the second half to find the game-winner. After a Polar Bear shot deflected off a Cardinal defender, Alaina Casey corralled the loose ball near the football goal line and scored it into the top right corner with her left foot.

ONU was then content with the score and began to park the bus while bleeding the clock at every opportunity.

The Cardinals out-shot the Polar Bears 9-2 in the second half, but reigning OAC Goalie of the Year Kristy Catrine stood on her head to make four impressive saves. The most important save came when Bailey Zanella fired the Cardinals' best scoring chance across the face of the goal, but Catrine made an athletic diving save.

Delaney Earl then had one last look in the closing minutes, lofting a ball from the near sideline that looked as if it might be able to catch some wind and sail above Catrine. Unfortunately, the Catrine went up to snatch the incoming chance before it got inside the far post.

Zanella, Earl and defender Regina Severance were named to the All-Tournament Team as a result of their play.

Stay tuned to Otterbeincardinals.com and all Otterbein social media outlets for postseason information.