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WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Otterbein men's soccer team chalked up its first victory of the season Wednesday night, turning back visiting Franklin College by a score of 4-1 in a non-conference affair.

The Cardinals, now 1-1-2 on the year, will spend the next two weeks away from home before finally returning to Memorial Stadium on September 27.

Otterbein took control very early and ended up facing a backup in net for the Grizzlies, as the Franklin keeper was unfortunately injured less than a minute into the contest.

The Cards hit the scoreboard in the fifth minute after a blazing Carter Ely was taken down in the right side of the box while making a run. Will Isaac stepped up to promptly bury the ensuing penalty kick.
Otterbein had plenty of other chances to extend the lead before intermission with a 13-3 shot advantage, but an array of blasts were either off target or saved by new FC goalkeeper Easton Terry.

The Cardinals eventually doubled-up their lead in the 59th minute on a perfect set piece. Isaac took a short corner from his brother, beat a defender toward the end-line after a pair of touches and sent a cross into the box. Ely was there, unmarked, to bury it home with his right foot.

Sophomore Kasdin Hale made it a field-goal advantage near the 80:00 mark on a nice run, take a slick through ball from veteran Coby Stover and beating the keeper across his body to the far side of the net. The Cards then added one more on a corner kick, where an incoming ball from Kelvin Mkwawa (curving toward the far post) was deflected into the net by a Grizzly defender.

Franklin did get on the scoreboard very late, with Juan Montano tracking down a far pass up the sideline and narrowly getting to the ball before fresh Otterbein keeper Barrett Moore. Montano took one last touch and slipped it into the open net from 25 yards out.

The Cards finished with a 27-9 shot margin for the evening in a physical match that saw 20 fouls. Terry got settled in the Franklin net as the contest went on to ultimately make 11 saves, including stopping a PK.

Otterbein travels to play at Hanover College this weekend, with start time against the Panthers set for 1 p.m. Hanover was runner-up last year in the HCAC.