GAMBIER, Ohio (May 6, 2023) – The second-seeded Denison University women's lacrosse team scored three straight goals in the final two minutes of the third quarter and scored the first three goals of the fourth quarter to pull away from No. 21 nationally-ranked and top-seeded Kenyon College and capture the 2023 North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament Championship with a 14-8 win over the Owls in Gambier, Ohio. 

In addition to ending Kenyon's undefeated season, the win gives Denison its league-leading 16th NCAC Tournament Championship in women's lacrosse. Denison has now won eight conference tournament championships in the 10-year tenure of Head Coach Amanda Daniels.

Josie Lucchesi scored the first goal of the game less than three minutes in and scored again to tie it at 2-2 just over seven minutes in.

In the final three minutes of the first quarter, Jane Bailey dished a pair of assists on man-up goals by Bridget Sheehy (2:37) and Allaire Kotz (0:11) to make it a 4-2 Denison lead at the end of the opening period.

Tied at 5-5 in the final two minutes of the second quarter, Grayson O'Marra scored on a free position shot, and then after a caused turnover and groundball by Mary Daniel, Merrill Rollhaus scored on the assist by Lucchesi with just 29 seconds left to make it 7-5 Big Red at halftime.

The third quarter was all about the effort from Caroline O'Dea, who made six saves in the period and kept Kenyon from tying the game until Morrell (1:48) was able to score in the final two minutes to make it an 8-6 Denison lead.

Denison kept its momentum going in the final minute of the third quarter as Kotz (0:44) came up with a great individual effort with a caused turnover, groundball and goal before Rollhaus won the ensuing draw control, which led to another goal by Sheehy (0:11) to make it 10-6 Denison heading into the fourth quarter.

Denison opened the fourth quarter with a draw control from Mary Martinson, who scored herself just under a minute into the period to make it a five-goal lead (11-6).

The floodgates then opened up as Rollhaus won the next draw control, leading to another goal by Lucchesi (12:51), and then Martinson won another draw control before a goal by Emma Repke assisted by Lucchesi less than 30 seconds later made it a 6-0 Denison run to take a 13-6 lead with 12:25 left to play.

After Kenyon's goal with 11:58 left in the third quarter to get to within one of the Big Red (7-6), O'Dea and the rest of the Denison defense shutout the Owls for 16:34 of game time until a goal with 10:36 on the clock.

In all for the fourth quarter, the Big Red outshot the Owls 11-4 overall and 8-3 on goal, won six of seven draw controls, and forced Kenyon into seven turnovers while committing only one turnover themselves.

Lucchesi finished with three goals and two assists while Kotz, Sheehy and Morrell each scored twice.

Rollhaus, Martinson and O'Marra each finished with four draw controls while Daniel finished with three caused turnovers and was joined by Morrell and Rollhaus with three groundballs.

O'Dea, meanwhile, finished with 13 saves and a .619 save percentage, and had a combined 24 saves and 15 goals allowed (.615 save percentage; 7.50 goals-against average) while playing all 120 minutes in the tournament en route to being named the Most Valuable Player.

O'Dea was joined on the all-tournament team by Daniel (5 groundballs, 4 caused turnovers, 3 groundballs), Rollhaus (8 draw controls, 3 groundballs, 2 goals) , Lucchesi (5 goals, 2 assists) and Kotz (4 goals, 2 assists, 4 groundballs, 2 caused turnovers).

With the win, Denison will receive the NCAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Denison advances to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the 24th time and will take a 9-10 overall record into the tournament.

The NCAA will announce the 2023 NCAA Division III Championship field on Monday, May 8, at 10:30 a.m. with a live selection show airing on NCAA.com. The NCAA Tournament opens with the first and second rounds on Saturday, May 13, and Sunday, May 14.