ADA, Ohio – Playing its first varsity football game in roughly 16 months, Otterbein dropped a low-scoring slugfest with host Ohio Northern Friday night inside Dial-Roberson Stadium.

The Cardinals, falling by a final score of 17-7, saw a handful of key opportunities throughout but ultimately came up short to begin the condensed OAC schedule.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Neither team scored in the first quarter despite both teams marching into the red zone. ONU missed a field goal and then Otterbein, opening with Fred Hardrgrove at quarterback, advanced all the way to the four-yard line before a field goal was shanked.
   
• Ohio Northern hit the scoreboard on a 42-yard strike from Muskingum transfer Brody Hahn to Chase Rose, and then added an impressive 49-yard field goal off the left foot of Dom DiFalco.
   
• The Cardinals sliced the deficit to 10-7 by intermission, going 75 yards in 4:49 of game time and converting a short pass from Logan Pharmer to tight end Jeb Jones.
   
• Both teams turned the ball over to begin the second half, beginning with an Otterbein interception before linebacker Jacob Tiell forced a Polar Bear fumble at the goal line. The Cards got the ball across midfield before stalling, and ONU quickly extended the lead on a 47-yard touchdown pass from Hahn to Jette Morgan.
   
• Otterbein was unable to make a push early in the fourth quarter, punting twice before turning the ball over on downs.

 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Both teams fumbled three times in the game, each losing one. Otterbein, however, threw a pair of interceptions as well.
   
• Most team stats were relatively even on the night. Ohio Northern finished with a 355-269 edge in total offense.
   
• Greg Nolder and Jacob Tiell combined to make 23 tackles for the Cardinal defense.
   
• Hardgrove, playing both ways as a defensive back and quarterback, rushed 14 times for 78 yards and also completed a few passes. Reed Tucker caught seven passes for 100 yards.
   
• Brock Martin ran for 108 yards on 26 carries, while Jordan Bost-Floyd had 13 for 54 on the Otterbein side of things.

 
LOOKING AHEAD:

Otterbein will return home and get set to host Wilmington next Friday night, welcoming the Quakers to Memorial Stadium for kickoff at 7 p.m.