Brennan Ford, Sports Editor
Denison athletics achieved a clean sweep of the North Coast Athletic Conference championships over the weekend, with field hockey and soccer teams all securing NCAC titles and automatic bids to the NCAA Division III tournament.
The Denison field hockey program won 4-1 against Ohio Wesleyan on Nov. 7 to earn their third conference title in the last four seasons.
Reilly Desmond ‘27 scored the first goal of the game in the 28th minute, with Emma Gebhart ‘27 providing the assist. Ohio Wesleyan scored with 40 seconds left in the first half to tie the game heading into halftime.
The Big Red started the second half with something to prove, as Gebhart scored just 40 seconds into the third quarter. Gebhart struck again seven minutes later, scoring off a pass from Lulu Keil ‘29, marking her 28th goal of the season as the team’s top-scorer, and breaking the record for most career points with 172.
Desmond scored the final goal for the Big Red in the 51st minute, providing a comfortable lead in the final minutes of the match. Goalkeeper Therese Lucian made two saves, limiting the threat of the battling bishops in front of goal. Desmond, Keil, Annie Luongo ‘30, and Tabitha Chandler ‘27 earned spots on the NCAC tournament team, with Gebhart being awarded tournament MVP. The team is set to play in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Nov. 11 against host Johns Hopkins.
Women’s soccer won their sixth conference title in a 2-0 victory over John Carroll on Nov. 7. Mattie Mielke ‘27 scored the first goal in the 20th minute, and provided the assist for Josie Russell ‘29 who scored off a corner kick with her shoulder in the 54th minute.
Denison outshot their opponents 16-7, with goalkeeper Caroline Hague ‘29 making two saves to earn the team their ninth shutout of the season. Brimmer Mather ‘30, Josie Russell ‘29, Cassie Classen ‘30, and Lauren Jensen ‘27 were named to the NCAC tournament team, with Hague earning the MVP award.
The team will play in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Cal Lutheran on Nov. 14.
The men’s soccer team earned its fifth overall conference title on Nov. 8 in a 1-0 victory over Kenyon. Colin MacDonald ‘28 scored the game’s only goal in the 22nd minute with an assist from Miles Crosser ‘27, marking his sixth goal of the season.
In the 62nd minute, a Kenyon player received a red card, giving Denison the man advantage for the remainder of the game. Goalkeeper Alex Provost ‘29 made four saves to earn the Big Red their ninth clean sheet of the season.
MacDonald was named MVP of the tournament, with Liam Walsh ‘27, Jack Rice ‘27, Miles Crosser ‘27, and Andrew Nachtwey ‘27 earning spots on the NCAC All-tournament team. The Big Red go into the NCAA tournament with a No. 16 ranking and seven-game win streak.
The Big Red is set to continue their win-streak in Clinton, N.Y. against Plattsburgh State on Nov. 14.