In a game that defied explanation let alone expectation, the No. 24 ranked John Carroll University men's soccer team did everything it could to lose the lead in regulation ... then did what it needed to do to win in overtime.

A Karol Boryka goal in the 102nd minute saved what could have been a disastrous evening in Westerville, Ohio, as John Carroll recovered from a late collapse in regulation to pull out a 5-4 victory in double overtime over host Otterbein University.

JCU, ranked #24 overall and #3 in the Great Lakes Region in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) poll, had a 3-0 lead after 50 minutes of play, and a 4-1 lead after 79 minutes of play before Otterbein -- playing a man down -- staged a furious rally to send the game to extra time.

The Blue Streaks inititally got on board when a Matt Brodman cross was redirected by an Otterbein player into his own net early in the opening period.

The John Carroll lead grew to 2-0 when Brian Potocnik punched in a goal with just under 30 seconds left in the half.

In the opening five minutes of the second half, Potocnik was successful on a penalty kick, which was followed shortly thereafter by an Otterbein player leaving the match on a red card.

JCU controlled possession for the next 20 minutes or so, threatening to build the lead. But the tide began to shift with under 20 minutes to play when a miscommunication between two Blue Streaks led to an own goal. Although innocuous at first, it seemed to signal a change in the wind, even as Jacob Lombardo popped in a goal less than two minutes later to push the John Carroll lead back to thre goals.

Otterbein's furious rally began in the 80th minute, as Luis Rivas scored the first goal by a Cardinals player.when he finished off a cross from Connor Holland. Rivas then changed the entire tenor of the match when he scored less than a minute later to cut JCU's lead to 4-3.

It appeared John Carroll would dodge the proverbial bullet until Otterbein made one last run. That was when Ross Pfeil stunned the Blue Streaks and sent the home crowd into a frenzy when he rebounded a shot attempt to tie the match at 4-4 with just 19 seconds left in regulation.

The Blue Streaks regrouped and played an even-keeled first overtime. In the second time, Kevin Pachuta made a tremendous individual effort to get past a pair of Otterbein defenders near the end line, delivering a ball to Boryka, who parked the winning goal.

By winning 5-4, John Carroll set a program record for most goals allowed in a victory. Eight times in its history, JCU had allowed three goals and still managed to win, but never four in a winning effort until tonight.

Otterbvein held a slight advantage in shots (17-16) while the Blue Streaks had the majority of corner kicks (6-3).

With the win, John Carroll improves its record to 9-3 and builds its current winning streak to six matches in a row. JCU is also 2-0 in conference play.

Otterbein falls to 7-5 overall and 0-2 in the OAC.