GRANVILLE, Ohio. (October 16, 2021) – Two and half weeks after losing 1-0 at Ohio Wesleyan University, its only loss so far this season against a North Coast Athletic Conference opponent, the Denison University field hockey team defeated the Battling Bishops when it mattered during conference action, winning 3-2 at home on Saturday evening.

It was not easy as Denison trailed 1-0 after the first quarter and 2-1 in the third quarter before rallying with back-to-back goals in less than a minute to take the win.

After the Big Red were outshot 4-0 in the first quarter, Denison returned the favor by outshooting OWU 5-0 in the second quarter. Four of those shots were by Maya Tumiwa, the third of which was a penalty stroke goal toward the top right of the goal to get Denison on the scoreboard and tie it at 1-1.

Then after Ohio Wesleyan scored just under six minutes into the third quarter, Denison dug down deep and found the equalizer on a goal by Abigail Hano about 35 seconds later.

Then just 42 seconds after tying it, Hano passed to Grace Lock for the go-ahead score.

OWU fought hard with six penalty corners and two shots on goal in the fourth quarter, but Maren Kraak and the Big Red defense stood strong.

Kraak would finish the game with five saves.

It was the first of three straight NCAC games at home for Denison, which improved to 7-5 overall and 4-0 in the conference while Ohio Wesleyan fell to 6-4 and 3-2.

Next up, the Big Red will have two home games over the next week as they welcome Earlham College into Deeds Field-Piper Stadium at 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 21, before squaring off against DePauw University two days later at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 23. Denison and Earlham are the only two NCAC schools without a loss in conference play so far this season.