DELAWARE, Ohio (November 5, 2022) – With its second straight shutout victory in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament, this time by a 2-0 score over third-seeded Ohio Wesleyan University in the championship match, the fourth-seeded Denison University women's soccer team brought home its fourth NCAC Tournament title in program history and its first since 2016.

Now with a record of 7-8-4 overall, the Big Red earn the NCAC's automatic bid to next week's NCAA Division III National Tournament while on the other side, it was the first loss since October 8 for an OWU team that finishes its season at 12-3-4 overall.

After needing 72 minutes to get on the scoreboard in their 1-0 semifinal win at top-seeded Kenyon College on Wednesday, Denison struck first just 10 and a half minutes into the championship match as freshman Avery Butler delivered the throw-in from the sideline and then ran forward to secure the ball on the pass back from Ellie Reiser. Butler then used her momentum to launch a long shot from about 22 yards out that went just over the outstretched arms of the OWU goalkeeper Natalie Ryan and into the upper left corner of the goal.

Then in the final five minutes of the first half, Denison doubled up its lead on another long shot from outside the box as a ball deflected off the Kenyon defense went back to Callie Davis, who launched the shot from about 25 yards out and put the ball just inside the right post and out of the reach of Ryan.

Denison outshot OWU 13-1 overall in the first half held a 6-0 advantage on shots on goal and a 9-0 edge on corner kicks.

OWU had one of its better chances to score against the suffocating Denison defense just over 11 minutes into the second half when Jaelyn Dodson's shot was blocked. The ensuing corner kick, the first corner kick of the match for the Battling Bishops, led to their first shot on goal, which was a header that was saved by Wynne Hague for her first save of the match.

In all, the Big Red defense blocked four of OWU's five shots during the first 25 minutes of the second half before the Bishops went on to outshoot Denison 10-7 in total over the final 45 minutes.

Hague would step up to make the save on two of OWU's five attempts over the final 15 minutes of the match, giving her three saves in total.

For the Denison offense, Amy Chiero, Maddie Reap and Davis both finished with three total shots while Katie Harding, Leland Keller and Butler each had two.

In the postgame awards ceremony, Denison's Amy Chiero, Kate Dalimonte, Victoria Nielsen, Caroline Garrard and Avery Butler were each named to the 2022 NCAC All-Tournament Team while Butler was also selected as the tournament's most valuable player.

The NCAA will announce the field for this year's tournament at 2 p.m. on Monday, November 7, on NCAA.com. The NCAA tournament opens with the first and seconds rounds on Friday, November 11, through Sunday, November 13. This marks the first time since 2016 that the Big Red have qualified for the NCAA Tournament and is the 17th bid in program history.

For more information on the 2022 NCAA DIII women's soccer tournament selections and tournament dates, please click HERE.
 
NCAC All-Tournament Team:
Annalise Grammel, DePauw
Leine Dawson, DePauw
Morgan Baker, Kenyon
Claudia Abram, Kenyon
Ryan O'Neill, Ohio Wesleyan
Madison Cofer, Ohio Wesleyan
Ali Claus, Ohio Wesleyan
Amy Chiero, Denison
Kate Dalimonte, Denison
Victoria Nielsen, Denison
Caroline Garrard, Denison
Avery Butler, Denison (Tournament MVP)