Box Score Eighth-ranked Denison moved to 9-0 thanks to eight points from senior Alex Hardt and six points from sophomore Eddie Vita. Thanks to 13-straight goals from the Big Red, DU knocked off Oberlin College, 17-3 from Piper Stadium on Tuesday night.
Denison entered the game ranked third in the nation with a .698 face-off winning percentage and that percentage would continue to rise after a 6-for-7 showing in the first quarter. That helped DU take a commanding 6-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Three of the six goals were scored by Hardt, who also assisted on Will Koontz' goal with 4:01 to play in the period.
In the second quarter Denison's 10th ranked man-up offense was on full display. After failing on one extra-man situation in the first quarter, Hardt and Vita would account for three man-up goals in the quarter.
In the second half, Tyler King would add three goals and Gregg Shannon posted three saves in 30 minutes of action in the cage. Nick Petracca played the first half and posted two saves for DU.
Chip Phillips, who entered the game ranked second in the NCAA in face-off percentage, was 11-for-13 with six ground balls. Spencer Riehl, Connor Carroll, Teddy Powell, and Corey Daff would also add three ground balls apiece. Daff led the way with three caused turnovers.
Oberlin's three goals came from Austin Little, Daniel Fineman and Paul Paschke. Goalie Erickson Andrews tallied 21 saves while allowing 17 goals in 60 minutes of action.
Denison outshot Oberlin 54-13 and gathered 39 ground balls to Oberlin's 21. Denison was 18-for-23 in face-off's and the Big Red's extra-man offense was 4-for-6. The Yeomen committed six penalties for 4:30 while Denison was flagged twice for two minutes.
The win sets up a clash with No. 6 Stevenson University, this Saturday (April 7) in Stevenson, Md. The Mustangs are 9-2 with their only losses coming against nationally ranked Cortland St. and Lynchburg. Live video of that contest will be provided by Stevenson at 3:30 p.m.
