OTTAWA, Kan. - Wednesday was a tale of two halves between no. 12 Ottawa and Southwestern, as a relatively quiet opening 45 minutes was followed by an explosive second half that saw the Braves extend their unbeaten streak to 12 with a 3-2 win over the Moundbuilders.
Ottawa earned the first several chances of the match, highlighted by a fifth-minute effort by
Lorenzo Lamola. The Braves earned a corner kick on the right side as
Cale Scott's cross was blocked out. Scott's outswinger found the head of Lamola, who snapped it down off the turf and nearly over Franco Guazzotti, but the Southwestern keeper was able to tip the ball over the crossbar for another Ottawa corner.
The Braves struck for the opener in the 12th minute with a great combination play through the midfield. After collecting a ball on the right wing, Scott played a quick touch to
Slobodan Novicevic who one-touched a pass to the foot of
Sam Hatswell. Hatswell deked his defender and dribbled to the end line before sending a cross to
Antonio Natalucci. Natalucci lifted a shot off the crossbar that hit off Guazzotti's head and back into the net.
Scott initated a trio of Ottawa chances in the 37th minute, collecting a long cross on the left wing and firing on goal. His shot was parried wide by Guazzotti for a corner kick, with
Leo Mautret's header blocked over the crossbar for a second corner.
After playing the short corner, Ottawa earned a free kick, but
Mateo Trigo's shot was also turned away.
Arminas Gecas tried to make an immediate impact for Ottawa after replacing
Mateo Trigo in the 41st minute, but his 42nd-minute header toward the back post wasn't enough to elude the acrobatic save by Guazzotti.
Southwestern was able to find an equalizer in the 50th minute from a corner kick, with Noah El-Masri's outswinger being nodded home by Francesco Rocchelli.
Novicevic whipped a cross into Scott at the top of the six-yard box to put Ottawa back up in the 52nd minute, but Southwestern was able to level the match at 2-2 just 16 seconds later courtesy of a Christian Banda goal.
Scott and Novicevic each nearly put the Braves back in front in the 55th minute, but a memorable bit of goalkeeping by Guazzotti kept the Moundbuilders in the match. Southwestern's keeper was able to rise up and block Scott's 1-on-1 effort, then recover to parry Natalucci's volley wide for a corner.
Novicevic would not be denied in the 57th minute, however, as Natalucci lofted an incisive through ball splitting the defense that was sent far post by Novicevic.
Ottawa had another flurry of chances in the 70th and 71st minutes, as
Simon Kindt's effort kissed the woodwork and rebounded up to Natalucci, whose header was blocked out for a throw in. On the buildup, Natalucci's first shot hit Guazzotti directly in the chest and the rebound effort went wide.
The final 20 minutes were a bit frantic and it looked like Ottawa had scored a fourth in the 74th minute following a scramble on a free kick, but the assistant referee's flag went up with authority for an offside violation.
Ottawa is on the road for its next two matches, taking on York University on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
