Box Score

John Carroll began a stretch of matches against the top two teams in terms of winning percentage in the Ohio Athletic Conference by scoring early then holding on for a 1-1 tie against Otterbein College Tuesday afternoon at Don Shula Stadium.

In a match-up of the two top defenses in the OAC, John Carroll (0.87 GAA) was looking to break through against an Otterbein team (0.46 GAA) that began the day ranked #24 in the latest NSCAA Division III coaches poll

In a physical match up, the Blue Streaks would capitalize off one of the few penalties called. During the 28th minute, John Carroll junior Caitlyn Walton would drive a free kick which hit the crossbar.  The deflection bounded away from Cardinals keeper Tara Carter, and Aleks Quenneville pounced on it to score her second goal of the season.

For Carter, this was just her second goal allowed in six conference games.

John Carroll held on to the 1-0 lead, but as the second half progressed, Otterbein kept increasing its number of chances. The Cardinals finally broke through in the 83rd minute. Sarah Sharbaugh flipped a ball up in the air toward the goal,  and Rebecca Bowser gave chase. Bowser would collide with JCU goalkeeper Michelle Zrebiec, and as the ball rolled away, Cardinal teammate Lindsey Rudibaugh would follow it and score an uncontested goal.

As a result of the collision, Zrebiec would have to leave the match and was replaced by sophomore Molly Gradowski, who was making just her second appearance of the 2008 season.

Gradowski would acquit herself well in a pressure-filled final 27 minutes. She made three saves to keep the match tied.

John Carroll is now 9-4-3 overall and 2-2-2 in the OAC, while Otterbein is now 11-1-2 and 4-1-1 in league play.

The Blue Streaks will now face first place Wilmington on Saturday evening.