Denison field hockey captures 7th NCAC title by defeating Ohio Wesleyan 4-1

Denison field hockey captures 7th NCAC title by defeating Ohio Wesleyan 4-1

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On Saturday, November 7, in Granville, Ohio, the top-seeded Denison Big Red secured a 4-1 victory against the second-seeded Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops to claim the 2026 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Field Hockey Tournament crown. The tournament championship is Denison’s second straight and seventh overall.

Granville Title Match Defies Early Stalemate

Saturday’s championship matchup at Granville pitted the conference’s two top programs against one another in a high-stakes postseason clash. The opening quarter proved a defensive battle, ending in a scoreless deadlock as both backlines weathered early pressure.

That defensive stalemate broke in the second quarter. Senior Emma Gebhart of the Big Red opened the scoring by finding the back of the cage off an assist from senior Reilly Desmond, putting Denison ahead 1-0. The Battling Bishops answered swiftly, however, when first-year Emmerson Crist netted an equalizer off a helper from junior Reagan Shifflett, sending the teams into halftime tied at 1-1.

Denison Field Hockey Claims Seventh Tourney Title
Photo: northcoast.org

Gebhart and Desmond Take Control After Halftime

The second half belonged entirely to the top-seeded hosts. Denison regained the lead in the third quarter when Gebhart struck for her second goal of the afternoon, converting an assist from sophomore Lulu Keil. Minutes later, Gebhart and Keil connected once more, with Gebhart pushing her season goal total to 28 and extending the Big Red advantage to 3-1.

The statistical log from the match details a relentless offensive push by Denison coming out of the break. At the 31:40 mark of the third period, Lulu Keil earned a penalty corner, followed shortly by a blocked shot from Claire Willoughby. Denison outshot Ohio Wesleyan 12-5 overall, maintaining an 8-3 edge in shots on goal and a 4-3 advantage in penalty corners.

In the fourth quarter, any hopes of a Battling Bishops comeback were snuffed out when Desmond found the back of the cage for an insurance goal, sealing the 4-1 final score. Gebhart finished the contest with three goals on five shots—four of them on target—while Desmond contributed a goal and an assist. Keil chipped in two assists to anchor the attack.

Defensively, junior goalkeeper Therese Lucian turned away two shots to earn the win in the cage for Denison. On the other side, senior Payton Mindel recorded four saves for Ohio Wesleyan as the Battling Bishops fought to stem the tide of the Big Red offense.

All-Tournament Honors and the Road to Nationals

Following the championship match, league officials announced the 2026 NCAC Field Hockey All-Tournament Team. The twelve-member squad featured standout players from DePauw, Kenyon, Ohio Wesleyan, and Denison. Honored representatives for Ohio Wesleyan included Grace Ammon, Emma Reynolds, and Mary Powers, while Reilly Desmond, Lulu Keil, Annie Luongo, and Tabitha Chandler earned nods for the Big Red.

For the second year in a row, Denison’s Emma Gebhart was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

By claiming the conference tournament crown, the Big Red secured the league’s automatic bid into the 2026 NCAA Division III Field Hockey Tournament. NCAA.com will broadcast the NCAA Division III selection show on Sunday, November 8, at 9:00 p.m.

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