WESTERVILLE, OH –Otterbein College’s men’s soccer team (0-1) lost to Wittenberg University (1-0) by a score of 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at Clements Field in Westerville, Ohio.

Neither team was able to muster a goal in the opening half of play as the game went into halftime locked at 0-0.

Wittenberg’s Jimmy Thinnes found the back of the net at the 52:44 mark of the second half to put his team ahead 1-0. Otterbein was never able to even the contest en route to a 1-0 defeat.

The Tigers held a 17-11 shot advantage while also holding a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks.

Three Earn Academic All-OAC Honors
Written Nov. 20, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Three members of the 2007 Otterbein men’s soccer team were selected to Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) teams, the OAC released today.

Defender/midfielder John-Mark Mocas, a senior from Bellbrook, and defender Adam Warner, a senior from Greenville, were named to the first team.

Mocas, majoring in physical education/health education, has made the Otterbein Dean’s List six times. He was also an honorable mention All-OAC selection this season.

Warner, a broadcasting and journalism major, was also selected honorable mention All-OAC in 2007. He has made the dean’s list three times.

Ensign Earns Academic Honors
Written Nov. 1, 2007 by Ed Syguda

Dan Ensign celebrates after a goal against Muskingum.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Dan Ensign, a junior from Westerville (Westerville South High School), was named to the 2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District IV first team as selected by the College Sports Information Director’s of America (CoSIDA), released today by CoSIDA.

He is now eligible for Academic All-America consideration.

Ensign, a two-year starter at defender, scored one goal in 2007, which came in a 2-1 win over Muskingum in the final game of the season.

He is majoring in Physical Science and has made the Otterbein Dean’s List five times.

Academic All-District IV team members are selected through voting by CoSIDA, a 2,000-member organization consisting of sports public relations professionals for colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. District IV encompasses the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.20 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Cards to Host Muskingum
Written Oct. 25, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, seeking to shake off its scoring slump, closes out regular-season play Saturday, hosting Muskingum at 2 p.m. on Clements Field.

“We’ve been competitive in every game,” said Otterbein head coach Gerry D’Arcy, “but haven’t been able to turn the corner in terms of scoring goals. It’s not any individual, it’s a team.”

The Cardinals, 6-10-0 overall, sit eighth in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) at 3-5-0 and have a chance to make the OAC Tournament, which is scheduled to begin Monday. The tournament was expanded from four to six teams this season, with the top two seeds receiving first-round byes.

“We’re not in a position where we can take care of our own destiny, but anything can still happen,” D’Arcy said about his team’s chances of getting into the post-season tournament.

Of Otterbein’s five conference losses this season, three have come by one goal, and a fourth by two goals.

“Our players have done the best that they can this season,” D’Arcy said. “We’ve gone from being an easy rollover to a very competitive team.”

Otterbein heads into the weekend off a 1-0 loss to Heidelberg at home Wednesday. The Berg scored in the 15th minute and held on for the win despite a flurry of shots in the second half from Otterbein. The Cardinals out-shot Heidelberg, 17-6, in the second period.

Defender John-Mark Mocas, a senior from Bellbrook, who moved up to midfield in this game, and midfielder/forward Patrick Shick, a senior from Powell (Olentangy High School), combined for 11 shots against Heidelberg.

Otterbein heads into Saturday’s game with Muskingum (4-13-0, 0-8-0) with nine points in OAC play and needs to leapfrog over Marietta, 10 points, and Wilmington, 10 points, to gain a berth in the OAC Tournament.

Senior John-Mark Mocas (Bellbrook) scored the game’s lone goal nine minutes into the game.

The Cardinals were out-shot by the Pioneers, 20-7, but only three of Marietta’s shots were on-goal. 

With the win, Otterbein has defeated Marietta five straight times, including four games decided by one goal.  Marietta’s last win against Otterbein was a 1-0 decision in 2002.

Cards Host Marietta to Open OAC Play
Written Sept. 27, 2007 by Ed Syguda

WESTERVILLE, OHIO—Otterbein, having closed out the non-conference portion of its schedule, begins Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play with Marietta, 2:30 p.m., Saturday at home on Clements Field.

“We’ve played as tough a non-conference schedule as we’ve ever played and, certainly, will be prepared for conference play because of that,” said head coach Gerry D’Arcy, who is in his 19th season with the Cardinals.

Otterbein comes into the match 3-6-0 overall, dropping a 3-2 decision to Denison Wednesday at home.

“The biggest thing we are working on now is to eliminate some of the problems that we have had early in games, and also to play hard,” D’Arcy said. “We are working on playing as hard as we can, playing aggressively.”

Forward Drew Pitzer, a senior from Worthington (Thomas Worthington), leads the Cardinals in scoring with four goals and four assists. Midfielder Jordan Gonzales, a senior from Worthington (Thomas Worthington), has scored three goals.

Marietta enters the match 4-3-1 overall, losing 2-1 in overtime at Walsh last Tuesday.

Last season, Otterbein finished seventh in the OAC with a 3-5-1 record. Marietta finished last at 0-9-0.

Following Marietta, Otterbein travels to Wilmington (4-5-0) Tuesday for a match beginning at 7 p.m.

“We are very much a work in progress,” D’Arcy said. “Once we settled our system of play this past weekend, we seemed to improve.

“A lot of people are contributing,” D’Arcy added. “The team is evolving right now. It’s not set in stone.”

Forward Drew Pitzer, a senior from Worthington, scored six points in the tournament, tallying two goals and two assists.

Pitzer scored the tying goal and assisted on the game-winning goal from midfielder/forward Patrick Shick, a senior from Powell, in the 74th minute in the win over Goshen. Against Tri-State, he scored the first goal 18 minutes into the match and assisted the game-winner from midfielder/forward Matt Beckett, a sophomore from Sunbury, in the 85th minute.

Otterbein remains on the road, traveling to Wooster Thursday for a match scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

WESTERVILLE, OHIO--The Otterbein men’s soccer team handed out its team honors at an awards ceremony held Feb. 4 on the campus of Otterbein College.

The Cardinals finished the season 8-8-1 and 3-5-1 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), landing them in seventh place in the conference.  Of the eight losses, five of them came by one goal.

A list of special award winners follows:

Junior forward Drew Pitzer (Worthingtion/Thomas Worthington High School) was named the team’s most valuable offensive player. Pitzer led the team with 48 shots, six goals, four game-winnings goals, and was tied for first with 12 points. Pitzer tied for fourth in the league in game-winning goals and garnered second team All-OAC honors.

Junior defender John-Mark Mocas (Bellbrook) was named the team’s co-most valuable defensive player. Mocas scored three goals this season and anchored a defense that posted five shutouts on the year. He was also named OAC Co-Defender of the Year and first team All-OAC.

Junior goalkeeper Jordan Guhl (Gahanna/Lincoln) was named the team’s co-most valuable defensive player. Guhl posted a 1.57 goals-against average and made a league-leading 103 saves. He was also third in the conference with five shutouts.

Junior midfielder Patrick Shick (Powell/Olentangy) was named the team’s most improved player. Shick was second on the team in goals with five and tied for first in points (12).

Senior midfielder Kurt Marks (Canal Winchester) received the coaches’ award, an award specifically handed out by the coaches for a player’s accomplishments and efforts reflecting the spirit of the team. Marks started all 17 games this year and notched one assist. He was also named to the Academic All-OAC team.  Marks ends his collegiate career with three goals, five assists and 11 points.

Twenty-four Otterbein players were awarded letters at the banquet. The complete list follows:

Four-year lettermen:  Senior midfielder Aaron Hickman (Westerville/Olentangy).

Three-year lettermen:  Marks, junior midfielder Adam Warner (Greenville), Pitzer, junior midfielder Jordan Gonzales (Worthington/Thomas Worthington), junior defender Ryan Studer (Reynoldsburg), Mocas, junior defender Kevin Stahr (Columbus/DeSales) and Guhl.

Two-year lettermen:  Junior midfielder Adam Boals (Mansfield/St. Peters), senior midfielder Aaron Lahman (Pemberville/Eastwood), Shick, sophomore defender Daniel Ensign (Westerville/South), sophomore defender R.J. Lindquist (Worthington/Kilbourne), sophomore midfielder Matt Weiss (Worthington/Kilbourne) and senior midfielder Dustin Wilshire (Ashville/Teays Valley).

First-year lettermen:  Junior forward Ian Doherty (Westerville/St. Francis DeSales), freshman forward Cody DiLauro (Broadview Heights/Independence), junior midfielder Andrew Beckett (Sunbury/Big Walnut), freshman midfielder Matt Beckett (Sunbury/Big Walnut), freshman midfielder Auggie Fisher (Dublin/Jerome), freshman forward Michael Mayo (Columbus/Tree of Life Christian), freshman defender Ephraim Medaugh (Corning/Bishop Rosecrans) and sophomore midfielder Jonathan Herr (Groveport/Madison).

Three Earn All-OAC Honors; Mocas Named Co-Defender of the Year
Written Nov. 10, 2006 by Jason Miller

WESTERVILLE, OHIO--Three Otterbein College men’s soccer players were named All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) and defender John-Mark Mocas was named OAC Co-Defender of the Year, the OAC released today.

Mocas, a junior from Bellbrook, led a Cardinal defense that registered five shutouts this season. He is third on the team in points (7) and goals (3) and second on the team in game-winning goals (2).

Forward Drew Pitzer, a junior from Worthington (Thomas Worthington High School), earned second team All-OAC honors.  Pitzer led the team in goals (6) and game-winning goals (4) and was tied for first on the team in scoring with 12 points.  He was also tied for fourth in the league in game-winning goals.