Box Score A tempered offensive attack and dogged defensive effort from the opening faceoff set the tone for what would be 20th ranked Denison's finest performance of the young season. Blair Farinholt paced the Big Red with five goals as Denison dispatched visiting Sewanee, 13-2 on Sunday from Piper Stadium.
The non-conference affair between Denison and Sewanee had some extra drama inserted last weekend when the Tigers upset Roanoke, 10-9. Just three days prior, Roanoke pulled off the upset win over the Big Red, 13-11 in Salem, Va.
Denison would take a 3-0 lead on Sewanee after one quarter of play. Fairnholt broke the scoreless tie with 11:54 to play in the quarter. The game would remain scoreless over the next eight minutes. That's when Josh Happ scored his third goal of the year after a turnover by the Tigers.
After a Denison win on the ensuing faceoff, the Big Red would continue to remain patient on the offensive end, running a minute off the clock before James Meager found Farinholt for the 3-0 lead. In the first quarter of play, the Big Red outshot the Tigers 11-5 and first-year goalie Elliott Avis would give his team a boost with four saves.
In the second quarter, Sewanee increased its time of possession, due in large to four Big Red penalty flags in the quarter. The Tigers would covert one of its four EMO's in the quarter and the two teams went into the intermission with DU on top, 5-1.
The third quarter would prove pivotal as Meager kicked off the period with his first goal of the day. With 10:56 to play, Sewanee's George Pratt was flagged for unnecessary roughness, giving Denison its first man-up opportunity of the afternoon. Forty seconds later, Liam Rooney fed Farinholt, pushing Denison's lead to six.
The Denison defense would post its second goose-egg in the third quarter by forcing Sewanee into seven turnovers. The offense also managed to outshoot the Tigers, 13-3 in the third.
The final quarter saw Farinholt and Will Donohue combine for four of the team's five goals, resulting in the convincing 13-2 win. Farinholt's five goals matched a career-high set last year against St. Mary's. He led Denison with 12 shot attempts.
Rooney would follow in the point category with three assists. Donohue scored twice while Meager and Happ both finished with one goal and one assist. DU's goal scoring would be rounded out by Brian Miller, Matt Neeson, Jamie McCahan and Nick Caravana.
Avis finished the day with eight saves in goal for Denison. Sewanee's Browning Altizer saved 11.
Denison's Eric Baumgardner won the faceoff battle by going 11-for-19 with a team-high six ground balls. Rooney chipped in four ground balls from his attack position and Teddy Sawyer paced the defense with four of the team's 12 caused turnovers.
The Big Red outshot Sewanee 43-24 and won the turnover battle, 20-11. The Tigers were 1-for-8 in extra-man situations while Denison finished 1-for-4. Denison (2-2) will return to action this Wednesday (March 11) when they host Albion College at 5:30 p.m.
