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John Carroll University Athletics

home of the Blue Streaks
Connor Robinson
Eric Aufderbeck
The Blue Streaks remain undefeated in OAC play with a tie at Otterbein. 
0
John Carroll JCU (6-3-3, 3-0-1)
0
Otterbein OTT (9-0-3, 3-0-1)
John Carroll JCU
(6-3-3, 3-0-1)
0
Final
0
Otterbein OTT
(9-0-3, 3-0-1)
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 OT 1 OT 2 F
John Carroll JCU 0 0 0 0 0
Otterbein OTT 0 0 0 0 0

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Garrett Siegel, Senior Staff Writer

Men's Soccer Ties Otterbein in a 2OT Thriller of OAC Unbeatens

WESTERVILLE, Ohio -- John Carroll University played the Otterbein Cardinals in three sports Wednesday, and the last hope for a victory in the evening came in Westerville in the Men's Soccer match. The two teams tied 0-0 after 110 minutes of an absolute nailbiter, in what could be an OAC Championship preview. 

The two teams met up in the OAC Championship in 2019, and are both still undefeated in OAC play. 

The first half started slow, but that was to be expected. Despite John Carroll winning 13 of the last 14 games, six of the last eight matches were decided by one goal, and last year's game had 14 total shots in two halves. In the first 15 minutes JCU had two corner opportunities, and two shots, but not on goal. 

Benjamin Hryszko had a give and go opportunity with Izac Coleman, but his shot was just wide as it was bending back to the top right corner. Nathan Neil had the first shot on goal of the game, as his shot was easily deflected by JCU goalkeeper Connor Robinson. 

Daniel Kalic made perhaps the defensive play of the night at exactly the 35 minute mark. Paul Hensley of Otterbein was streaking down the near side towards Robinson, and Kalic had a magnificent wrap-around slide tackle, getting "all ball", avoiding a penalty, and resulting in a clear. 

In the final minute of the first half, Otterbein got off two scary looking shots if you are a Blue Streak fan, but they each went wide of the net, as JCU survived a threat in the final twenty seconds to go to halftime scoreless. 

The second half had much more action after the first period had just one combined shot on goal. In the first 30 minutes of the second half, the Blue Streaks ripped nine shots, Otterbein got off five early as well. In the 51st minute, Hyrzsko let one go towards the lower corner, but the 6'5" goalkeeper for Otterbein, Andrew McIlvoy, made his first save of the night. 

The final 15 minutes of regulation was filled with offense. In the 78th minute, Connor Robinson made an excellent punch-out save after a foul on John Carroll less than five yards outside the box. On the next offensive possession, Will Turrittin sent a cross in front of the net but McIlvoy came out to make an athletic grab. Just moments later, Otterbein was given a corner kick opportunity. The pass was sent in front, a shot or two was blocked and it was cleared away. 

Just 60 seconds later, the Blue Streaks had a corner opportunity of their own, but it went without a shot. With about a minute to go, John Carroll would have its final offensive chance of regulation, but a header off the cross was wide of the net and we went into overtime tied at nil. 

The Blue Streak offense put pressure on the Cardinal defense the entire first half of overtime. In John Carroll's first possession in Otterbein's zone, Coleman was found on a cross, but his header went just wide of the net. Just a minute later, JCU had a free kick 15 yards out, but the shot was blocked by the set defensive wall. A corner kick in the 96th minute resulted in a shot about 10 yards out, but McIlvoy answered with his fourth save of the night. John Carroll also had two corner kicks in the final 60 seconds of the first half of overtime and was unable to get a shot on goal, as the first 100 minutes went scoreless. 

In the second half of OT, offensive play slowed down significantly. In the final minute, Coleman put a shot on goal, and he tried to say it crossed the line, but the referees ruled it a clean save by McIlvoy and the match ended in a 0-0 draw. 

John Carroll is now 6-3-3 overall and 3-0-1 in the OAC, while Otterbein is undefeated at 9-0-3 overall and 3-0-1 in the conference as well. The Blue Streaks will head home on Saturday to face Ohio Northern at 7pm. 
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