Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 2, Denison 1

Sophomore midfielder Colton Bloecher (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange) scored the game-winning goal with :02.1 left in regulation time to give 23rd-ranked Ohio Wesleyan a come-from-behind win over Denison in North Coast Athletic Conference action on Friday at Roy Rike Field.

The win clinches the NCAC championship for Ohio Wesleyan.  The NCAC title is Ohio Wesleyan's fifth straight, eighth in the last 9 years, and 21st overall in the 29 seasons of NCAC competition.

With rain falling all afternoon and through the game, defense figured to be the order of the evening.

Denison had the first good chance of the game, that coming in the 10th minute when a through pass from Ryan Fine set up J.J. Dix with a good look at the Bishop goal, but senior goalkeeper Paul Hendricks (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) charged out to break up the play.

Midway through the half, Bloecher got off a shot from close range, but Denison keeper Matt Wagner made an exceptional save to keep the game scoreless.  Wagner stopped a shot by junior midfielder Taylor Rieger (Lewis Center/Olentangy Orange) with about 10 minutes left in the half.

Early in the second half, it was Fine with a long shot that Hendricks tracked down to keep the deadlock going.

Rieger and Bloecher had a 2-on-1 break midway through the second half, only to see the Denison defense break up the play without allowing a shot.

The Big Red took the lead in the 69th minute on a 25-yard shot by Corey Ricketts from the right side.

Wagner saved a shot by junior midfielder Paolo Bucci (Dublin/Bishop Watterson) in the 77th minute, and the Big Red saw headers by Bloecher and junior midfielder Ian O'Keefe (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) go wide of the cage.

With time running out in regulation time, Ohio Wesleyan had a restart from the right side.  Junior midfielder Matt Shadoan (Dublin/Scioto) sent the ball into the penalty area, and junior back Martin Tobias (Chesterfield, Mo./Whitfield School) headed it home with 3:37 to play, the first goal of the season for Tobias.

It appeared that the game was headed for overtime after a Denison clear, but sophomore back Mason Hoge (Mason) moved the ball up the left side and crossed it to Bloecher, whose diving header glanced off the glove of Wagner and just inside the left post with just over 2 ticks remaining on the clock.

"This was a great win against a rival on Homecoming," said Bishop head coach Jay Martin.  "I don't think we played particularly well, but the guys kept fighting right to the bitter end, and they took care of it.  Colton (Bloecher) was fantastic, and (sophomore midfielder) Drew Pang played a great game."

Ohio Wesleyan outshot Denison, 20-14.  Hendricks collected 4 saves in the Ohio Wesleyan goal, while Wagner finished with 6 saves in the Big Red goal.

Box Score