GRANVILLE, Ohio-- The North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament Championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament are on the line this Saturday (May 6), when second-seeded Oberlin comes to Granville to face the top-seeded Big Red women's lacrosse team.
Denison (14-3) looks for its 12th NCAC Tournament title against the Yeowomen (14-1). Earlier this season, the Big Red handed Oberlin its lone loss of the season, 15-12, in Oberlin, Ohio.
The Big Red is led by 2016 IWLCA All-American Claire Ludlow. The senior leads the team with 24 assists and is second with 41 goals. She is second in program history in career goals (173), assists (70), and points (243).
Denison's offensive attack is balanced, with six players scoring at least 24 goals. First-year Kiely Noonan leads the Big Red with 45 goals scored. Six players have also totaled double-digit assists, led by Ludlow's 24.
On defense, the Big Red have caused 201 turnovers, a single-season program record. Sophomore Jane Goodspeed leads the way with 30 CTs. She also paces Denison with 41 ground balls and 52 draw controls.
The Yeowomen boast the NCAC's stingiest defense, saving 58.3 percent of shots and allowing only 5.53 goals per contest. They have also posted the conference's second-most prolific offense, averaging 16.0 goals per game.
Junior Natalie Rauchle has scored 60 goals in 14 games. In goal, the duo of Alexa L'Insalata and Siena Marcelle has saved 116 shots, allowing only 83 goals.
Tickets for the semifinal are $7 for adults and $3 for children 18 and under. Students with a valid ID from an NCAC institution are admitted free of charge.
The winner of the NCAC Championship will earn a berth in the NCAA Division III Women's Lacrosse Tournament. Denison is looking for their fourth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 19th overall.
