Box Score All it takes is one. It's the harsh reality of sports like field hockey. Stare too long at the stat line and it can play tricks on your mind. This afternoon, No. 3 Kenyon upset second-seeded Denison 1-0 in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.
The loss possibly brings an end to a memorable season for the Big Red which featured a 13-match winning streak and an overall record of 17-2. For Kenyon it means they will live to fight at least three more days as they will travel to top-seed DePauw for Saturday's NCAC Championship.
The opportunities were there for the Big Red as they managed to outshoot the Ladies 18-6 overall, and 10-2 in the second half.
In the opening half of play, Kenyon senior goalkeeper Sydney Carney-Knisely recorded five saves on two shots by Katie McMahon and scoring attempts by Sara Hofmann, Britta Marden, and Alex B. Berman. After a penalty corner attempt in the 31st minute, Denison's Molly Chapman sent a shot that was saved by defender Emmy Weiner. Denison would regain possession but Hofmann's follow was stoned by Carney-Knisely and the two teams would enter halftime scoreless.
In the second half, it appeared as if Kenyon took the lead in the 44th minute when Sammy Johnston scored from just inside the shooting circle. A foul on the Ladies would negate that goal. DU was the aggressor in the half, taking the first four shots of the period. Kenyon would reverse the field in the 47th minute, and after a penalty corner, Maddie Breschi's third shot of the afternoon went just wide of the cage.
With the ball deep in DU territory for the first time in the half, Kenyon would capitalize in the 53rd minute when Alex Bair knifed through the Denison defense and fed Susie Gurzenda who flicked a shot into the lower left corner of the cage. The goal would stand and Kenyon led 1-0.
Denison would have a change to even the score 11 minutes later when a succession of three penalty corners would result in five DU shot attempts over a one minute span. Two shots by Berman, and one shot each from Mia Day, Taylor Bacon, and Chapman would come up dry.
After that blitz by DU, Kenyon managed to clear the ball into its half of the field and over the next five minutes they kept the Denison offense at bay, earning the 1-0 win.
Chapman led the home team with six shots, primarily off Denison's 12 penalty corner attempts. McMahon took five shots, putting three on-cage while Alex B. Berman ended with three shots.
Kenyon was led by Breschi's three shots. Carney-Knisely posted nine saves while Laura Campbell made two saves in cage for the Big Red.
In the other NCAC Semifinal, No. 1 DePauw handed No. 4 Wooster a 6-0 defeat. At 17-2, Denison will await word from the NCAA selection committee to see if an at-large berth into the tournament is in the cards.
