Junior Kimmi Oshita (Cincinnati, Ohio/Syacmore) supplied three goals in Denison University's 4-0 victory over Hiram College in their North Coast Athletic Conference opener on Saturday afternoon in Granville.

It didn't take long for the Big Red to break the scoreless tie.  On just the first shot of the match, Oshita knocked a header past Hiram keeper Emily Bristol off a crossing pass from fellow junior Eliza Miller (Canal Winchester, Ohio/The Wellington School).  Her sixth of the season came 10th minute of play and gave DU the edge heading into the intermission.

The 2008 Academic All-Ohio selection wasn't done using her head as she added to the Denison lead at the 46:04 mark of the second period.  Oshita buried another header for her second tally of the game, this time off a cross from Jen Clemmer (Hixson, Tenn./The Baylor School).  Just 2:55 later, the Cincinnati native complete her first-career hat trick when she settled a cross from senior Kate Henderson (Denver, Colo./George Washington) and rifled it into the back of the net.

In the 81st minute, senior Anna Rusch (Washington, D.C./Sidwell Friends School) put the final nail in the coffin when she scored on a free kick from 18 yards out.  The goal was Rusch's fourth of the season, and the second tally she recorded off a free kick.

The Big Red took 11 shots, including seven on goal, while the DU defense held Hiram to just three shots.  Denison attempted four corner kicks compared to Hiram's one.  Bristol made three saves in goal for the Terriers, while Big Red keeper Courtney Cobb (Sylvania, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy) made one stop en route to her ninth shutout of 2009.

Denison improves to 8-2-1 overall and 1-0 in the conference, while Hiram falls to 6-3-2 on the year and 0-1 in league play.  The Big Red return to action on Wednesday (Oct. 7) when they travel to Oberlin College.  Match time is slated for 7 p.m.