The Denison men's soccer team secured a home game in the semifinals of the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament for the first time since 2006 following a 3-0 victory over the College of Wooster in the regular season finale at Deeds Field-Piper Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
With the win DU closes out the regular season with a 10-4-3 overall mark and 6-1-2 in NCAC record while Wooster finishes the 2009 campaign 4-10-2 on the year and 1-7-1 in league play. There 10 victories mark the first double-digit win season since 2006 when they won 13 games.
The Big Red gained the early advantage when sophomore Preston Wagner (Toronto, Ontario/TASIS American School) unloaded a shot on goal from 28 yards out. Wagner's shot was initially stopped by Wooster keeper Taylor Takacs, but the force behind the shot caused the ball to squirt through the goalie's hands and into the back of the net. The sophomore's third tally of the year came at the 8:44 mark.
DU doubled their lead in the 43rd minute when sophomore Chris Olson (Arlington Heights, Ill./Rolling Meadows) received a pass from senior captain Peter Shorten (Hudson, Ohio/Western Reserve Academy) from 18 yards out and fired a shot into the lower left 90.
Denison added their final insurance goal at 52:42. Sophomore Ben Peek (Burke, Va./Robinson Secondary) sent a pass from the right side to junior Ish Ghodbane (St. Louis, Mo./Ladue Horton Watkins). Ghodbane one-touched one-touched the ball into the lower left 90 passed the diving Takacs for his third goal of the year.
The Big Red outshot the Fightings Scots 19-9 including a 10-1 advantage in shots on goal. Denison also attempted seven corner kicks compared to two by Wooster. DU senior goalkeeper Kevin Donahue (Riverside, Conn./Greenwich) made one save while Takacs finished the day with seven stops.
Denison will enter the NCAC Tournament as the No. 2 seed and will host third-seeded Kenyon College on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Granville.
Prior to the match Denison's six senior members, Brian Combias, Kevin Donahue, Tucker Mauke, Dustin Minium, Peter Shorten, and Ben Sopp were honored for their dedication to the Big Red men's soccer program.
