GREENSBORO, N.C. -- It was a game of large swings, and Guilford got caught on the wrong end of it on Wednesday night versus Otterbein. A dominant fourth period from the visitors sunk the Quakers to the 13-12 loss.

GC drops to a negative record, sitting at 2-3, while OU levels out at 2-2.

Quaker Darius Safavi-Abbassi (Culver City, Calif.) gave his best effort behind the sticks, making a season-high 25 saves, with a .658 save percentage. On the other side, Cardinal goalkeeper Luke Farthing made only eight saves with a percentage of .400.

Like the previous outing, Jax Atkins (Mechanicsville, Va.) made his presence known as the lead faceoff man, recording 16 wins at the center, while picking up a team-high seven ground balls. 

Gavin Brown (Charleston, S.C.) continued his hot point streak, tallying six versus Otterbein. He accounted for three assists and three goals in the losing effort. 

For the Cardinals, Zach Mulligan and Carson Rainone scored three each on their way to victory at Armfield. 

Nick Honkomp (Rolesville, N.C) got the game underway with a quick score, but Otterbein quickly got comfortable, replying back with two straight scores to take the 2-1 lead just five minutes into the first period. The offensive pressure over the next few minutes from the visitors paid off, as they scored their third goal after a ground ball pickup. Dirk Meinhart (Garfield, Ky.) brought GC back within one shortly after, but untimely turnovers from the home side cost them, as the Cardinals scored their fourth with time winding down. Honkomp was at it again for the Quakers, with a quick score to bring the score to 4-3. With under a minute remaining before quarter switches, Otterbein restored their two goal cushion, but Atkins immediately took the next faceoff for a solo goal to bring their deficit down to one at the end of the first.

Much like the end of the previous stanza, the Quakers worked fast, timely passing and overall team offense helped to level the contest at 5-5 under a minute in, Brown with the score. Going back and forth was the trend in this quarter, as the Cardinals took the lead once again a few minutes later. Their patience paid dividends, as they scored their seventh to lead, 7-5, the Quakers seemingly in disarray. Guilford got a timely penalty call from Otterbein, and used the extra man opportunity to score, Seth Woods (Hilton Head Island, S.C.) netting his tenth of the season to bring the contest within a goal. Safavi-Abbassi made a quality save, and Guilford played quality transition offense to get down the field, setting up Brown for yet another score, leveling out the game at seven as halftime was called. 

Using another penalty that was carried over from before halftime, GC took their first lead since early in the first quarter, Woods at it again with an extra man up to put them up, 8-7. Guilford somehow was able to escape an offensive onslaught by Otterbein unscathed a few minutes later, and took their first opportunity in the offensive zone to score once more, with Gabe Alvarez (Cary, N.C) getting on the scoreboard. The game slowed down for seemingly the first time all night, with either side being stymied in front of goal for a while. Safavi-Abbassi made yet another clutch save, and like previous goals, Guilford took the opportunity to clear, and capitalized on their first chance to reach double digits. Bashwyn Fitch (Charleston, S.C) scored his sixth goal of the season on this effort. The Cardinals ended their quarter-long drought, scoring not long after to cut their deficit to two. Atkins took the next faceoff, dishing the ball to Brown, and set up the attacker Alvarez to instantly restore their three goal lead, and the score remained 11-8 in Guilford's favor heading into the final stanza.

Otterbein found their own spark to start the fourth, scoring their ninth just a minute in. Atkins dominated the next faceoff, and helped to ignite yet another scoring effort, finding Eli Chambers, who then found Brown to score their 12th goal of the contest, but that was all that they would muster up for the rest of the contest. The Cardinals began chipping away, netting two scores within two minutes, and the Quakers led by just one, 12-11. Dom Dean was the hero for OU, as with time winding down, he scored with five minutes remaining to tie the contest, then found Mulligan to retake the lead. A last second shot by Woods was to no avail, and Guilford was condemned to the one goal loss. 

The Quakers welcome visitors Calvin University to Armfield on Saturday, March 9 for a weekend matinee. First faceoff is set for 1:00 p.m.