Box Score

After 1-1 tie with Capital University on Saturday afternoon, the John Carroll soccer team was looking for its first win in conference play for the 2012 season.

Coming into Tuesday night's match, the Blue Streaks were 15-10-2 all-time facing Otterbein, and had beaten the Cardinals in seven straight contests. Behind two goals in the first fifteen minutes, the Blue & Gold defeated the visitors from Westerville, 3-0, making that their eighth straight victory over Otterbein.

Through the first ten matches of 2012, 11 different Blue Streaks had found the back of the net for goals; thanks to plenty of offensive pressure against the Cardinals, that number rose to 14 tonight.

Sophomore midfielder Trenton Guy put JCU on the board five minutes into the match, on a kick almost 30 meters out. Not only was this Guy's first goal of the season, it was also his first collegiate goal in two years at John Carroll. Seven minutes later, junior midfielder Nathan Sharbaugh tacked on his first goal of the 2012 campaign.

Freshman midfielder Michael Melfi provided additional breathing room in the 68th minute. Melfi, who avoided a rushing Otterbein goalie on a breakaway, scored the first goal in his young college career.

JCU was able to spend so much time on the attack thanks to a good performance in net by Carl Contrascier and tough defense, led by Jeff DeMarchi, Liam Switalski and Drew Mestelske. The unit has only allowed three goals since September 22, the start of their current 3-0-1 run.

With the win, the Blue Streaks even their record to 5-5-1, and 1-0-1 in the OAC. With the loss, the Cardinals drop to 4-5-1 and 0-1-1 in the OAC. For its next competition, JCU will travel to Marietta on Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. match against the Pioneers.