PHOTO GALLERY

WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The No. 24-ranked Men's Soccer team started its fall campaign with a convincing 4-1 victory at home against Centre College Thursday night, helping launch the athletic calendar in style as the last of three overlapping home events on campus. This contest was also the first meeting between the programs in more than two decades.
 
The Cards came out of the gates firing, with two goals occurring in the first 13 minutes of play. The third goal of the night came in the 26th minute and the final score happened midway through the second half during the 66th minute.
 
Seniors Will Isaac and Gabe Sharrock paved the way offensively. Sharrock contributed to half of the goals, while the All-American Isaac had a play in all four. Otterbein's defense stood strong as well, holding Centre to a mere two shots in the first half and just four in the second.
 
HOW THE GOALS HAPPENED:
 

• Early in the seventh minute of play, Isaac (33 points last year) sent a cross into the box off a free kick. Joshua Conroy was on the receiving end in a cluttered box but managed to find the back of the net for an early lead.
   
• Not far behind, Sharrock broke away from his defender and went one-on-one against Centre's keeper. The result of the collision was a penalty kick for the Cards, and Isaac took to the line where he garnered his first goal of the match.
   
• Switching roles, Isaac then opened up the opportunity for Sharrock to score after centering a ball from the right corner, which led to Sharrock helping find the lower-left portion of the net while in a contested challenge with his defender.
   
• Fifth-year senior Nathan Neal came up from the back line to score the final goal of the match, off another free kick from Will Isaac, to provide some more insurance and leave little doubt in the outcome.
   
• The Colonels, an NCAA Tournament qualifier last year after winning the Southern Athletic Association, managed to score a goal of its own in the 58th minute. Sophomore Drew Davidson launched an impressive shot (from a tough angle on the right side) over Otterbein keeper Casey Thompson that snuck inside the far post.

 
STAT CHECK:

• Centre couldn't quite manage to build enough offensive momentum to cut into that early deficit, with the Cardinals outshooting their opponent 15-6.
   
• Otterbein held an 8-2 edge on corner kicks and proved deadly with those set pieces.
   
• Colonel goalkeepers Jacob Camacho and Brendan Egan, each playing a half, combined to make seven saves while Thompson (making just his second college start) needed to stop only two.

 
UP NEXT:
 
The Cardinals hit the road for a quick turnaround against Trine University in Indiana on Saturday afternoon, with kick off scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Otterbein bested the Thunder twice last year in a pair of hotly-contested matchups, once in the regular season and another in the NCAA first round.