Looking to avoid their third-straight loss in the semifinal round of the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, the 22nd-ranked Denison University women's soccer team successfully broke their string of bad luck as they knocked off the third-seeded Wittenberg University Tigers on Wednesday night in Granville.  After watching their three-goal lead shrink to one, the Big Red regained their composure and halted the Wittenberg rally en route to a 3-2 victory.

With the win, DU advances to their first NCAC Tournament final since 2007.  The Big Red will host fourth-seeded Allegheny College, who knocked out top-seeded Wooster via penalty kicks (4-3), on Saturday (Nov. 6) at Barclay-Thomsen Field in Granville.  Match time is slated for 2 p.m.

The Tigers attempted to get on the scoreboard first as Kailey Striebel came up with two quality scoring chances in the opening 20+ minutes of action.  In the 11th minute, Striebel deked past a Denison defender and ripped a shot from 12 yards out that was snagged by a diving Andrea Karl (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty).  At 20:07, the sophomore forward uncorked another shot from the top of the 18-yard box that was corralled by the Big Red keeper.

After a sluggish start to the match, the Big Red attack started firing on all cylinders and broke the scoreless tie in the 34th minute.  After gaining possession of the ball, junior Tory Danis (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) sent a through ball deep in the box to senior Maggie Hoskin (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor).  After settling the pass, Hoskin turned and fired a cross-net shot into the lower right 90 to put DU up 1-0.  The score was Hoskin's seventh of the year, while the helper was Danis' fourth.

Wittenberg had a couple chances to tie the game, including a Erin McLeish free kick that hit off the crossbar, but neither found their way on goal.  In the 37th minute, the Big Red marched down the field and double their lead when senior Jen Clemmer (Hixson, Tenn./The Baylor School) flicked a header over goalie Melissa Gartner.  Clemmer's team-leading 12th tally of the year came off a cross from fellow senior Jenn Sloan (Bethesda, Md./Sidwell Friends School).

DU looked to put the game out of reach early in the second half when seniors Hoskin and Kimmi Oshita (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) teamed up for the squad's third goal of the night.  Hoskin sent a cross from 18-yards out right to Oshita who one-touched the ball into the back of the goal at 55:11.  The score was the Cincinnati native's 10th of the year and put the Big Red up by three with roughly 35 minutes left in regulation.

The visiting team wasted no time breaking up the shutout as they marched the ensuing kick off down the field and eventually manufactured their first corner kick of the night.  Off the corner, Cailyn Roeble put the loose ball into the back of the net in the 58th minute.  Wittenberg continued to apply offensive pressure for the next 15 minutes of play.  In the 73rd minute, the Tigers struck again when a header by Striebel off a cross from Allie Keefer sailed just over the outstretched hand of Karl and under the crossbar to shrink the deficit to one.

Over the final seven minutes and 12 seconds, the visitors managed to put two of their three shots on goal, however both were stopped by Karl.  Wittenberg's third and final attempt came with just 22 seconds left in the match, however a charging Karl forced Keefer to push her shot just left of the net.

The Tigers held a slim 14-13 edge in shots, including an 8-7 advantage in shots on net, while the Big Red out-cornered Wittenberg 4-2.  Karl finished the night with six saves, while Gartner made four stops.

Denison improves to 13-5-2 while Wittenberg falls to 13-5-1.  Hoskin paced the DU attack with four shots, one goal and one assist, while Striebel unleashed six shots (five on goal) and scored a goal to lead the Tiger offense.