Box Score Cory Rider had not scored a goal this season, and that drought continued for the first 86 minutes of tonight's showdown with archrival Mount Union at Don Shula Stadium.

He had plenty of company in this game, however, as no one else wearing a Blue Streak uniform had found the back of the net either.

Then, lightning struck. Twice.

Rider charged up the atmosphere at Shula Stadium with a game-tying goal in the 88th minute, then won it with a penalty kick in the 96th minute as the John Carroll University Blue Streaks extended their four-game winning streak to five, beating the Mount Union Purple Raiders in overtime Tuesday night, 2-1.

Box Score

It was also the Blue Streaks' fourth straight Ohio Athletic Conference win, preserving their undefeated record in the conference and boosting them to 8-5 overall. By virtue of this win, JCU remains tied for first in the OAC with Baldwin-Wallace.

Both teams seemed aware of the importance of the game in the OAC standings and were physical from the start, jostling for every ball and accounting for 33 fouls and six cards.

The Blue Streaks knocked on the door three times in the first half, but were turned away by junior Purple Raider goaltender Jon Critell. Mount Union was intent on taking the advantage early, but had a goal wiped away due to a player being in the goal box.

Despite that setback, the Purple Raiders took a 1-0 lead at halftime as Phil Spagnolo headed a Leo Hicks corner kick that was sent back into the box by Thomas Beck into the back of the net in the 42nd minute.

Mount Union's defense continued to be stingy in the second half, as John Carroll struggled to score until the 179 ticks remained on the regulation clock. That was when Rider sent home a pass by teammate Kevin McKamish past Critell.

Rider struck again in overtime when a red card allowed him the opportunity to put the game in the books on a penalty kick in the right corner of the net.

"It was unbelievable to get my first two goals tonight, it was all for these guys," said Rider. "I wasn't going to miss [the penalty kick]."

Head coach Hector Marinaro commented on his team's second half-effort.

"There's no such thing as an easy OAC win,” Marinaro said. “These guys played their hearts out in the end and they were rewarded."

Rider had 12 goals in his career entering the 2012 campaign, but his move from forward to midfield this season has him taking on a different role on the team. Thankfully for the Blue Streaks, he still remains "forward" thinking.

John Carroll improved to 8-5 overall and 4-0 in the OAC. Mount Union, which had yet to lose an OAC match in 2011 until this evening,  fell to 6-5-2 overall and 1-1-2 in league play.