Granville, Ohio — In a thrilling NCAC Semifinal under the lights at Kienzle-Hylbert Stadium, No. 2-seed Denison rallied from an early deficit to secure a 2-1 overtime victory over Wooster, punching their ticket to the NCAC Championship, once again.
Wooster wasted no time getting on the board, as the Fightin' Scots scored just 3:23 into the match, giving them an early 1-0 advantage. Despite several first-half chances, Denison couldn't find the equalizer before halftime.
The Big Red turned up the intensity in the second half, outshooting Wooster 13-3. Their relentless attack paid off in the 88th minute when Colin MacDonald rose above the defense to head home a corner kick from Kaden Kist, leveling the match at 1-1 and forcing overtime.
The breakthrough came in the 97th minute as a loose ball bounced around the box before Phil Koutsaftis pounced, slotting home the golden goal to complete Denison's comeback and send the Big Red crowd into a frenzy.
Denison controlled the stat sheet with a 20-8 edge in shots and an 8-5 advantage in corners, while goalkeeper Alex Provost came up with three crucial saves to secure the win. The Big Red move to 14-1-3 on the season and advance to the NCAC Championship, where they'll take on DePauw on Saturday, November 8, in Greencastle, Indiana.
