MARIETTA, Ohio – Otterbein endured a challenging start Wednesday night down at Marietta, but stayed the course over the full 90 minutes and eventually came out with an important 4-2 victory.

The Cardinals (10-2-3, 4-1-3 OAC) jump to third in the league standings with one final regular-season match this weekend. It will be an important clash up at Mount Union with a potential home game in next week's postseason tournament on the line.

Mount and Wilmington both currently sit 4-2-2 in the league… one point shy of the Cardinals. Six teams will qualify for the OAC Tournament, with the top two earning a first-round bye.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Marietta benefited from an own goal by the Cardinals early, taking a 1-0 lead roughly 12 minutes into the match on a corner-kick sequence. A defender attempted to clear an incoming pass, only to see it ricochet the opposite way into the net.
   
• Taj Haidar quickly doubled up Marietta's lead three minutes later off an assist from reigning OAC Offensive Player of the Week Jovonni Auddino. A back-heel pass was corralled and ripped home with the left foot of Haidar.
   
• Otterbein hung tough and kept the official scorer busy as Silver Abraham sliced the deficit in half less than two minutes later. He found a lofted pass (from Gavin Miriello) over a pack of players and quickly finished it home.
   
• That 2-1 score remained intact through intermission and over the next 44 minutes of game time, until Drew Holman delivered a huge equalizer at the 60:40 after a pair of headers. His first attempt (on a corner kick) hit the crossbar but he immediately struck another to knot the score.
   
• All-American standout Will Isaac took things over down the stretch, netting the game-winner with just over 12 minutes left on a highlight-reel goal in the box. After the ball bounced around multiple times, Nathan Neal headed it across the box before Isaac delivered a filthy bicycle kick to erupt his team.
   
• The senior would then net an insurance goal in the closing minutes on a penalty kick, stepping up to bury the chance after classmate Coby Stover was taken down in the box.

 
STAT CHECK:

• Otterbein finished with a 17-10 edge in total shots, including an 11-3 margin after halftime. Holman had three attempts on frame.
   
• The Cards also held a 9-5 edge in corner kicks.
   
• Otterbein has now won seven of the past eight meetings against Marietta, with three going to overtime and five decided by just one goal.
   
• Isaac leads the OAC with 34 points and 15 goals this season, staying ahead of Mount Union's Jamon McCort.

 
THE WEEKEND:

• Those two dynamic scorers and their teams will face off Saturday evening at Mount Union Stadium, with first kick slated for 7 p.m.