Women’s Soccer hands Otterbein first conference loss of season
By Wes Mayberry
ADA — Sophomore Kylie Cabana (Dexter, Mich.) and junior Cienna Kuhn (Elida) came up big Wednesday night as the Ohio Northern women's soccer team got a 2-0 victory to hand Otterbein its first conference loss of the season.
The win improves the Polar Bears to 10-4-3 overall and 6-1-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference while dropping Otterbein to 13-2-0 and 7-1-0.
Following a scoreless first half, Cabana scored her first goal of the season, and what would prove to be the game-winner, 15:42 into the second half via an assist on a corner kick from freshman Emma Bowman (Novi, Mich./Northville).
Just 9:40 later, Kuhn found the back of the net on a header for her second goal of the season, which came on an assist from freshman Alyssa Beckett (Monroe).
The ONU defense and senior goalkeeper Kristy Catrine (Springboro) did the rest, securing the Polar Bears' 11th shutout of the season.
Catrine tallied four saves in the game and notched her OAC-leading 10th shutout of the season, which is tied for sixth-best in ONU history.
Catrine's 18 career shutouts are seventh-best all time at ONU and just one shy of tying Emily Brodict ('12-'16) for sixth place.
The Polar Bears finished Wednesday's game with an 8-7 advantage in shots and 3-2 edge in corner kicks.
Ohio Northern returns to action on Saturday to close out its 2021 regular season with a home game against Mount Union at 1 p.m. at Kerscher Stadium.
That game, along with Saturday's contest between Otterbein and Capital, will help determine the top four seeds in the OAC Tournament.
Capital (7-0-1 OAC) currently holds the top spot ahead of Otterbein, ONU and Mount Union (6-2-0 OAC).