Box Score
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (Oct. 22) – An overtime goal by sophomore
Emma Gebhart helped lift the Denison University field hockey team to a 3-2 overtime victory over previously unbeaten Wittenberg University in North Coast Athletic Conference play Tuesday evening at Edwards Maurer Field.
The critical conference win helps Denison push past Wittenberg in the NCAC standings. The Big Red move to 7-1 in league play while the Tigers suffered their first loss and now sit at 6-1 in the conference.
Denison opened the scoring when junior
Nina Casingal corralled a loose ball just outside the circle, carried it a few yards and sent a strike into the back of the cage. Casingal's second goal of the season gave the Big Red a 1-0 lead with 4:48 left in the first quarter.
The Big Red continued to control play and gained back-to-back penalty corner chances in the early stages of the second quarter. Denison took advantage of the opportunities and used a flurry of passes to set up a second goal. Gebhart was able to score back post following a tip pass from her classmate
Lila Smith, who was in front of the goalkeeper.
Wittenberg was able to trim the deficit in half five minutes later. The Tigers gained a penalty corner opportunity of their own to help tally their first goal. Aysha Johnson was able to smack a shot immediately off the insert from Emily Owens. The score cut the Big Red lead to 2-1 with 4:28 left in the second quarter.
Denison held a 5-2 advantage in shots and a 3-2 edge in corners over the first 30 minutes.
The Big Red registered the first four shots on the third quarter, including a pair of goal by Gebhart. However, a quick counterattack and score allowed Wittenberg to even the game at 2-2 late in the third quarter.
The Big Red controlled the pace of play in the fourth quarter. Denison recorded all four shots and both penalty corners during the final 15 minutes of regulation. However, despite the advantage, the score remained even, and the game headed to overtime.
For the second-straight in the past seven days, Denison found a way to get the job done in overtime. The Tigers opened with possession and put a shot towards the goal that just went wide right of the cage.
Denison pushed down the field and drew a penalty corner opportunity just a minute into the extra session.
The Big Red took advantage of the chance, as Smith inserted the corner out top to junior
Rachel Gilio, who quickly sent it a few feet to her left where Gebhart smacked it home from the top left of the circle for the game-winning score.
Gebhart finished with two goals in the victory. The sophomore now leads the NCAC with 12 this season. Gebhart had a game-high five shots.
Denison held advantages in shots (16-4), shots on goal (10-3) and corners (6-2).
Up Next: Denison travels to Richmond, Indiana to face Earlham College on Saturday, Oct. 26. Game time in is scheduled for 12 p.m.
