BOX SCORE COLUMBUS, Ohio - A pair of second half goals by junior Ian Warmbrodt spearheaded the Capital men's soccer team to a 2-0 victory over visiting OAC rival Otterbein in its regular season finale. With the win, CU will be the second seed in the OAC Tournament and host a Semifinal Match on Thursday at 2:00 p.m.
The Crusaders closed out the season with a 15-4-1 mark overall and a 7-1-1 record in the OAC. CU will have the benefit of a First Round bye in the OAC Tournament for a third consecutive season - a feat that no other school in this year's tournament can match. The Cardinals fell to 5-10-3 and 3-6 in league play.
After a scoreless first half, Capital began to seize momentum when junior keeper Justin Bultman (Maineville, Ohio/ Kings Mills HS) put an exclamation point on an outstanding afternoon in goal when he made a diving save on an Otterbein shot that came well within the Crusaders' defensive box.
Just one minute after Bultman's save, Warmbrodt (Wadsworth, Ohio/Copley HS) scored in the 56th minute on a breakaway goal that gave CU a 1-0 advantage.
Warmbrodt added his sixth goal of the season less than 10 minutes later, this time picking up a loose ball at the top of the Cardinals' defensive box and finding the top left corner of the Otterbein net to put the Crusaders ahead 2-0.
Bultman recorded four saves on the day and upped his record on the year to 10-2, while notching his fifth shutout of the season. Capitals' defense permitted only eight Otterbein shots on the day compared to 13 for the Crusader offense.
CU has now scored 22 goals in OAC play, the most of any team in league competition. Capital also improved to 7-1 at home this season, and has outscored their opponents 21-2 over their last seven matches at Bernlohr Stadium. Over their last 15 matches, the Crusaders sport a 13-1-1 record.
The victory over Otterbein was the final regular season and home match for the 14-member senior class that has won 53 matches during their four-year tenure at CU. That run also includes a pair of OAC Regular Season Titles in 2007 and 2008.
Follow Capital's quest for the OAC Tournament Title live this Thursday at 2:00 p.m. with FREE Live Stats, Video and Audio at www.CapitalCrusaders.net.