The Denison field hockey team avenged their lone setback of the season when they handed DePauw its first North Coast Athletic Conference loss, 2-0, on Sunday afternoon in Granville.  With the win, Denison improves to 10-1 in league play, while the Tigers fall to 8-1.  The win also snaps DePauw's 22-match NCAC winning streak.

With both teams coming off conference victories on Saturday, the stage was set for another epic clash between the two NCAC rivals.  Almost a month removed from its only loss of the season, a 2-0 setback in Greencastle, Denison had payback on their minds.  On the flip side, DePauw looked to extend their lead in the NCAC standings with roughly three weeks left in the regular season.

In a game that wouldn't feature many scoring opportunities, the Big Red knew they would need to capitalize on every one they were given.  Denison almost parlayed an early scoring chance into a goal in the sixth minute of play.  After forcing a turnover in the midfield, senior Taylor Bacon found sophomore Britta Marden running down the left side of the field.  The sophomore quickly made a one-time pass to senior Katie McMahon who was seemingly wide open on the right side of the goal.  McMahon took the crossing pass and sent a shot just outside of the left side of the cage.

Later in the opening half, freshman Abby Martone sent a beautiful cross to McMahon who was all alone on the left side of the goal.  Unfortunately, McMahon just missed putting the cross into the wide open goal.  After 35 minutes and five shots by the two squads the game was deadlocked at 0-0 at the intermission.

Denison earned a pair of corners in the early stages of the second half, using the latter to break the scoreless tie.  Bacon started the penalty corner with a pass to junior Molly Chapman at the top of the shooting circle. After touching the ball to put it in motion, Chapman ripped a shot that found the lower right corner of the cage.

Now trailing by a goal, DePauw felt a bit of urgency and began turning up the offensive pressure.  However, the Denison backline was up to the task as they continued to protect their senior goalie.  In the 59th minute, the Tigers had back-to-back chances to tie the game off a Micheline Figel corner, but stout defense kept DePauw off the scoreboard.  Chelsea Cutler sent a high arching shot that was punched away by goalie Laura Campbell, while an attempt by DPU's Maggie Campbell went wide of the goal.

In the 63rd minute, Denison used another set piece to double its lead.  Attempting their second-straight penalty corner, Mia Day setup the play to the right side of the DePauw goal.  Day sent a pass to the top of the circle that jumped over the stick of Lizzy Pellicane. However, Allie Bacon settled the ball and sent a rocket towards Tiger goalie Maggie Steele.  Martone tipped the ball around Steele to a wide open Alex B. Berman.  Berman, who felt Kylie Maloney bearing down on her, slid a pass to Day who buried a shot into the goal.  Day's third score of the season came at 62:02 and put the Big Red on top 2-0 with less than eight minutes to play.

The Tigers earned four more corners and attempted four more shots over the final eight minutes, but only one attempt required a save by Campbell.  Denison's win snapped a string of 22-straight NCAC victories for the Tigers. It also ended a nine-game DePauw winning streak.  DU has now won eight-straight matches since its Sept. 15 loss at DePauw.  The Big Red also posted their third-straight shutout and their fourth in the last five games.

DePauw (10-4) outshot Denison 10-6 and won the penalty corner battle 7-5.  The Denison defense played nearly flawless as they blocked seven of the 10 shots, while Campbell turned aside the two that made it to the cage.  With the shutout win, Campbell lowered her goals-against average to 0.86 which leads the NCAC and ranks in the top 15 in all of Division III.

Denison (12-1) returns to action next weekend when they play a pair of games in St. Charles, Mo.  The Big Red will take on Division II Lindenwood on Friday (Oct. 18) at 6:30 p.m. EST, and Hendrix on Saturday (Oct. 19) at 3:30 p.m. EST.