GRANVILLE, Ohio (September 3, 2022) – After a two-hour weather delay before the game could get going, the Denison University field hockey team started 2022 off on the right foot with a 1-0 shutout win in the rain over Roanoke College on Saturday at Deeds Field-Piper Stadium.

Roanoke (1-1) controlled possession throughout most of the first half, but the Denison (1-0) defense worked hard to keep Roanoke from getting off a shot attempt until the final seven minutes of action, despite giving up six penalty corners in the first half and eight for the game.

The Big Red offense, meanwhile, picked up the tempo in the second half and began to put the pressure on the Roanoke defense.

Neither team had a shot attempt until back-to-back shots by sophomore Kristin Kelley and junior Abigail Hano that were both saved by the Maroons' goalkeeper Madison Wingerter in the 28th minute.

Five minutes into the fourth quarter, Denison finally got its first penalty corner opportunity of the game and made it count as senior Madeleine Hunt took the corner and passed it up top to Kelley. Kelley then fired off a shot before the attempt was deflected, bounced through a scrum of players, and snuck through to Hunt waiting by the goal for the score.

Roanoke's lone shot attempt of the game by Viktoria Warweg was blocked away by the Big Red defense as sophomore goalkeeper Athena Joannou finished with her first career win and shutout.

Next weekend, Denison will hit the road for back-to-back games in Maine on back-to-back days, starting with the University of New England at 12 p.m. on Saturday, September 10, and followed by Bates College at 11 a.m. on Sunday, September 11.