Lexington, Ky.- In its final regular season matchup, the Denison University field hockey team dominated host school Transylvania University, beating the Pioneers 15-0 on the road. The Big Red's emphatic 15-0 victory over the Pioneers is a single-game program record, a record that was set in 1981 and bolstered by 13 goals for the day. With today's win, Denison finished the regular season with a 10-6 record and an 8-1 conference record, earning them a piece of the North Coast Athletic Conference Regular Season title. Transylvania wrapped its season with an overall record of 0-15 and 0-9 in league play.

The Big Red set the tone early, with Lila Smith scoring just under two minutes into the game. Five minutes later, Lulu Keil put Denison up by two after receiving a pass from Helen Breen. Less than two minutes later, Smith would connect with Rachel Gilio for goal number three with over seven minutes left in the quarter.

The following three goals scored by the Big Red would be put in by Emma Gebhart, who would score two in the first quarter to put Denison up by five. At the start of the second quarter, Gebhart collected a ball from Keil and, with a quick redirect, scored her third goal of the game. She would then return the favor to Keil, extending the Big Red lead to seven.

Ninety seconds after the seventh goal, Katherine Flanagan found Madden Phelps for goal number eight of the day. The Big Red closed out the first half with three unassisted goals by Smith, Reilly Desmond, and Slater Boos.

Up 11-0 at the start of the third, Desmond took just 60 seconds to push Denison's lead to 12, and despite Big Red's scoring slowing down in the second half, they continued to find the back of the Pioneers' cage. In the 44th minute, Gebhart scored her fourth goal of the day following a scrum in front of the cage after a penalty corner attempt.

The final two goals of the day, which solidified the program record for most goals in a game, were scored by Gebhart and Maddie Gaines, thereby establishing the 2025 team as the new record holders for most goals in a game.

In total, eight different team members scored for the Big Red, and of the 15 goals, five were assisted. Gebhart led the Big Red's offense with five goals, followed by Smith and Desmond with two apiece. Denison blanked Transylvania in shots (25-0) and in penalty corners (23-0).

Up Next for the Big Red

Denison returns to Granville, Ohio, to host DePauw University for the North Coast Athletic Conference Field Hockey Semifinals. The Big Red and the Tigers take to the field on Wednesday, November 5, at 5 p.m. inside Deeds Field- Piper Stadium.