Ohio Northern defeats Kenyon 3-2 in NCAA Division III Tournament

Luca Bilotto blazed past three defenders in the opening minute on Friday, firing Kenyon College ahead before Ohio Northern University rallied for a 3-2 win in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Right from the opening whistle, Bilotto seized control for the Owls, racing past three defenders and shooting from the top of the box into the net to grab a 1-0 advantage in the match’s first minute. With the Owls in control, the game kicked off for the second time in thirty seconds.

Ohio Northern responded swiftly in the 12th minute, slotting a shot past the keeper to level the score. The Polar Bears then struck again only seconds later to pull ahead 2-1.

Ohio Northern defeats Kenyon 3-2 in NCAA Division III Tournament

Kenyon looked to Moustapha Gassama with 77 minutes left to play, as he fired the next two Owl shots just off target. The deficit grew further when a pass across the middle went awry, leading to a Kenyon own goal in the 31st minute that extended the Ohio Northern lead to 3-1.

The Owls went into the break after taking four shots, with only Bilotto’s early strike finding the target. They came out ready for business in the second half and immediately pressured the attacking third to force fresh chances.

One of those chances came in the 55th minute when Joey Nigro danced with the ball before finding Emmett Brown. Brown converted on the opportunity into the left side of the net to cut the margin.

Ohio Northern Postgame Press Conference — Lynchburg Hornets Sports Network

Both squads fought through the remaining 35 minutes of the half. As the clock ticked under two minutes and players swarmed the penalty area for the ball, Bilotto managed to touch it in an effort to tie the score.

Struggling to secure possession within the confined space, he watched as the Polar Bear goaltender successfully made the stop. Andrew Adams followed with a drilled shot from the top of the 18 that an Ohio Northern defender blocked.

The ball bounced into the box yet again for one final shot by Bilotto. As the ball floated in the air, the Ohio Northern keeper made the save while falling toward the net, holding the ball just in front of the goal line as time expired.

The loss caps off a stellar season for the Owls featuring a 15th NCAC regular season championship, a 15-5 record, and a peak ranking of No. 8 in the country.