Tucker Mauke (Simsbury, Conn./West Simsbury) scored two goals and senior Kevin Donahue (Riverside, Conn./Greenwich) posted four saves and moved into sole possession of first place on the Denison career shutout list as the Big Red improved to 4-1 in conference play with a 2-0 win over Oberlin College.
On a chilly night from the artificial playing surface of Deeds Field-Piper Stadium, Denison and Oberlin played the first 45 minutes to a scoreless tie. Almost right out of the gate in the second half, Denison broke that tie when Chris Olson (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows) sent a shot that was saved by Oberlin goalkeeper Zach Lipshultz. After the save the ball was loose in front of the goal and Mauke came streaking in to clean up the mess with his fourth goal of the season.
Throughout the rest of the second half the two teams played a very even contest and the Big Red defense shined. With under 10 minutes to play Oberlin had a number of dangerous crosses, free kicks and corner kicks, but each time Donahue, Drew Lash (Ballwin, Mo./Whitfield School) and Brian Combias (Madison, N.J./The Pingry School) were there to slam the door on the Yeomen.
Things got a little chippy between the two teams in the 88th minute of play and the referees were forced to issue two yellow cards to the Big Red and one yellow and a red card to the Oberlin bench. In all, six cards were issued in the match.
After the officials put away their pencils Denison struck again with just 17 seconds left in regulation. Hubert Beauchemin (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) played a crossing pass into Mauke who finished off the play brilliantly for his team-leading fifth goal of the season.
Mauke and the Big Red outshot Oberlin 16-10 while both goalkeepers finished with four saves apiece. Ish Ghodbane (St. Louis, Mo./Ladue Horton Watkins) led all players with six shot attempts. Olson followed with three shots. For Donahue this marked his sixth shutout of the season and the 24th of his career. That breaks a record of 23 shutouts held by Steve Horan for the past 27 years.
Denison improves to 8-4-1 overall and moves to 4-1 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Oberlin drops to 6-5-2 overall and 1-3-1 in conference play. Denison's next match will be Wednesday (Oct. 21) at Kenyon College.
