OBERLIN, Ohio - Under steady rainfall and the flood lights of Fred Shults Field, Oberlin College men's soccer battled the visiting Otterbein University Cardinals to a thrilling 1-1 draw.

The pitch was slick and the competition was fierce for the Yeomen's eighth non-conference matchup of the 2016 campaign. Coupled with the conditions, it was a high-tempo opening 45 minutes and both squads had ample opportunity to find a breakthrough goal. 

The Yeomen rifled 14 shots in the first stanza, with five landing on frame. The Cardinals mustered eight shots, but only two troubled Yeomen keeper Koryn Kraemer. 

Nearly the entire first half was played in transition with the Yeomen's offensive front making brilliant runs into the final third. Nick Wertman led the Oberlin offensive work-rate in the opening 45 with five attempts, two hitting their target.

The Cards starting netminder, Collin Hoffmann, was called into question five times in the first half, before being replaced at the half by Mack Stamper. Hoffman finished the first half with five stops to keep the Yeomen scoreless at the break.

In the third minute, Sam Weiss tested his luck in front of goal, creating enough space to blast a shot, but Hoffmann hauled in the Yeomen's effort. Minutes later, Trenton Bulucea tried his luck, but the slippery conditions forced his attempt to sail just high of the crossbar, over the roof of the net.

The Yeomen continued to fling a barrage of attempts toward the Cardinal keeper, but no difference maker was to be found.

Locked nil-nil at the intermission, the Yeomen nearly immediately found traction offensively as a headed effort from Timothy Williams had to be corralled by Stamper. In the 55th, the Crimson and Gold broke into the final third again and were awarded a corner opportunity. No goal was to be found off of the set piece, but after maintaining possession in the offensive end, an untimely foul by the Cards offered a free kick to the Yeomen from a favorable distance.

Wertman stepped into the shot and laced a seed which floated just high of the net and kept the match level, nil-nil.

With their next possession, Otterbein would change the scoreline and find the go-ahead goal as a blocked shot in the box turned to the feet of Otterbein's Nate Norris who fired a well-placed shot beyond the reach of Kraemer and into the back of the Oberlin net.

Kraemer would be tested moments later by Otterbein's Blake Steenrod, but the Westfield, New Jersey, native stood tall to keep the difference at one.

Kreamer's final challenge of the second half came in the 73rd minute when Otterbein's Zack Lewis ripped a shot to the left upper 90, then the Yeomen stepped up the offensive work-rate in search of an equalizer. 

Following misses by Wertman and Williams halfway through the period, the duo nearly found the first Oberlin goal of the game with a stunning one-two through the back line of the Cardinals. Williams took a touch past a would-be defender and just needed to strike home a clean finish, but an on-rushing Stamper forced his low attempt to go wide.

Despite keeping out the Yeomen for 86 minutes, persistence paid off as Head Coach Blake New's crew nabbed an equalizer before regulation expired. Bulucea whipped in a long cross though the penalty area, which found the head of Jack McMillin. McMillin didn't strike the ball very clean, but just enough to turn it towards the Otterbein net. The attempt snuck through the back line and Stamper to roll into the right side netting, pushing the match to extra time.

Otterbein's Hoffmann would make a return in extra time after Stamper allowed the lone Yeomen goal of the contest. In 60 minutes in net, Hoffmann closed the bout with eight stops, while Stamper managed four saves in 45 minutes of action.

Hoffmann was welcomed back with a shot from Wertman in the first minute of the overtime frame, but the Cardinal kept his side alive. Another headed attempt on goal from Williams in the 98th would be the only shots on goal registered for either side in the first period of free soccer.

The second period of extra time was tense as the conditions of the pitch continued to deteriorate and each side tried desperately to come away with a triumphant result.

Halfway through the second and final sudden-death extra time period, Williams took aim once more and connected to send a ball flying towards net, but Hoffmann came through one last time to force the Yeomen to take their first draw of the year.

The decision on Wednesday night moves the 25th ranked (NSCAA) Oberlin men to 7-1-1 overall. Wednesday's result leaves the Yeomen 3-1-1 against Ohio Athletic Conference schools having bested Heidelberg, Mount Union and Baldwin Wallace and falling to Ohio Northern. 

Wednesday night's draw marks the first stalemate in the all-time series between the Yeomen and the Cardinals from Westerville. The Yeomen still own the upperhand in the all-time series, 9-4-1. For the year, the Oberlin men move to 6-1-1 in non-conference play with one non-NCAC opponenet remaining in the campaign. The Crimson and Gold host Case Western Reserve University on October 5.

Oberlin College men's soccer will return to the grass turf of Fred Shults Field on Saturday, October 1, as they host the College of Wooster Fighting Scots in a North Coast Athletic Conference women's-men's doubleheader.

Kickoff between the Oberlin men and Fighting Scots is slated for 7 p.m., following the women's bout with the Scots, scheduled to kickoff at 3 p.m.