TIGERS OVERTAKE STRITCH IN THE CCAC STANDING AFTER 3-0 WIN
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Cardinal Stritch (WI) (6-4-0, 4-1-0) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
|
Olivet Nazarene (8-1-1, 4-0-1) | 1 | 2 | 3 |
BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The No. 17 Olivet Nazarene University men's soccer program supplanted themselves atop the CCAC standings with a 3-0 win over the visiting Cardinal Stritch Wolves Saturday night. Benjamin Struebelt took part in all three scoring plays with two goals and an assist in the contest.
The intensity of the match was high from kickoff. Both sides combined for 16 fouls in the first half. Justin Eisenman had the game's first good look at goal in the 25th minute as his attempt to chip the Stritch keeper was cleared off the line with an acrobatic bicycle kick to keep the game scoreless. Konstantin Papanikolaou entered the match at the 8:00-mark to make an impact off the bench. A long diagonal ball played to Benjamin Struebelt from Nick Kilian was laid off to Papanikolaou. The sophomore from Vienna, Austria took his shot first-time guiding the ball into the top right corner. The Tigers held the slight advantage at the break.
Halftime: No. 17 Olivet Nazarene 1, Cardinal Stritch 0
Struebelt scored twice in the second half to secure the win. In the 72nd minute, Struebelt and Eisenmann connected to beat the CSU backline to double the advantage. The game was officially put to bed five minutes later as Kurodo Ihara unlocked the visitor's defense to make it 3-0. The Tigers held firm as Giannotta did not have to make a save for the rest of the match and secure the shutout.
GAME VITALS
Final: No. 17 Olivet Nazarene 3, Cardinal Stritch 0
Records: Olivet Nazarene: 8-1-1 (4-0-1 CCAC) | Cardinal Stritch 6-3 (4-1 CCAC)
Location: Snowbarger Athletic Complex| Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais, Ill.
QUICK HITS
- Struebelt set a career-high with 2 goals and 5 points in a single match.
- ONU stretched their unbeaten streak to 7 games in a row and 17 unbeaten home games dating to 2021.
- Eisenmann now has a team-leading 9 assists on the year.
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Tigers visit St. Francis (Ill.) Wednesday, Oct. 5. Please visit onutigers.com for all the links to follow along.
—ONU—