Box Score ALLIANCE, Ohio – Ryland Wikle broke the scoreless tie in the 59th minute as Denison men's soccer fell to the University of Mount Union 1-0 on Saturday evening in Alliance.
Despite the Big Red's 3-2 shot advantage in the first half, the Purple Raiders came out firing in the second half and outshot DU 14-4 for the remainder of the night.
After both sides combined for five shots during the first 45 minutes of play, a shot from Denison's Jackson Briggs opened the second half, but 11 consecutive shots followed for Mount Union, including a goal from Ryland Wikle at 58:03 to give the Purple Raiders a 1-0 lead.
Briggs and fellow freshman Tony Buechly attempted to respond in the 74th & 75th minutes, but each of their shots toward the top-right corner of the net was saved by MU's Zach Hlas. Briggs added DU's final shot of the match in the 82nd minute, but another save from Hlas iced the win for Mount Union to send the Big Red to 3-3-1 on the season. The Purple Raiders improved to 6-0-1 overall.
Denison was led by Briggs' three total shots, including two shots on goal. Buechly followed with two shots while Matt Rush and Pierre de la Croix-Vaubois each posted one shot each. Mount Union's Wikle led the match with five shots and a goal. Josh Lewis and Jon Schroeder finished second on the team with three shots apiece.
Hlas earned the victory in goal for MU with three saves in 90 minutes of action while Dylan Brown also added three saves in a full match effort.
Denison remains on the road next Wednesday, Sept. 25 when they travel to Westerville, Ohio for a 7 p.m. matchup with the Cardinals of Otterbein University.
