With 3:21 left in regulation, freshman midfielder Naomi Barker broke a 1-1 tie and propelled the Denison women's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Shenandoah University on Friday night in Granville.

With the scored tied heading into the second half, Denison came out of the locker room applying pressure to the Shenandoah defense.  In the first 3+ minutes of action, the Big Red attempted two shots and earned four corner kick attempts.

The game remained tied until the 87th minute when junior Maddy Regan threaded a pass from the right side to Barker on the other side of the box.  Barker settled the pass and fired her shot past the Hornet keeper and into the lower right 90.  The rookie's first-collegiate goal regained the lead for Denison at the 86:39 mark.

Shenandoah had three attempts to square the game for a second time, but all three shots failed to reach the DU net. Denison outshot Shenandoah 12-10 and attempted 11 corners compared to just three by the Hornets.

It took the Big Red just three minutes and 15 second to strike for the game's first goal.  After an unsuccessful corner kick, DU got another opportunity when the Hornets sent the ball out of play.  Denison took full advantage of the second chance as Regan's corner found the head of senior captain Jocelyn Festle.  Festle flicked the near-side corner into the far side of the goal to put the home team ahead, 1-0.

Shenandoah tied the contest in the 15th minute when Danielle Burris unloaded a deep shot from the left side that snuck under the right edge of the crossbar.  Burris' fourth goal of the season knotted the match at 1-1.

Regan had a couple opportunities to put DU back in front late in the opening period.  After Hornet goalie Erin Septer corralled one of her attempts, the junior had another shot clank off the crossbar.  After 45 minutes, the two squads enter the half all tied at 1-1.

Festle and Barker each had a goal, while Regan dished out two helpers and attempted three shots.  Senior goalie Andrea Karl made three saves en route to her second win of the year, while Septer had four stops for Shenandoah.

Denison improves to 2-1 on the year, while the Hornets fall to 2-2.  The Big Red returns to the pitch on Sunday when they take on Berry College (Ga.) at Bernlohr Stadium on the campus of Capital University.  Match time in Bexley, Ohio is slated for 11 a.m.