Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 2, Denison 1

Sophomore midfielder Allie Crawford (West Hartford, Conn./Hall) scored 33 seconds into overtime as fourth-seeded Ohio Wesleyan defeated third-seeded Denison in the championship game of the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament on Saturday in Granville.

Ohio Wesleyan wins the NCAC tournament championship for the first time in the tournament's 19-year history.  With the win, Ohio Wesleyan receives the NCAC's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III tournament.  The Battling Bishops will be making their first NCAA Division III tournament appearance since 1995.

At the beginning of the overtime period, senior midfielder Astrid Koek (Maastrich, the Netherlands/Pieter Nieuwland College) played the ball over to freshman midfielder Zoë Nelson (Frederick, Md./Urbana) on the left side.  Nelson made a run to the left end line, cut inside, and sent the ball to Crawford in front of the right post, and Crawford whirled and put the ball into the Denison cage to give the Bishops the tournament title.

The Bishops took the lead after a first-quarter penalty corner.  Sophomore midfielder Emily Streeter (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough) inserted the ball to Koek, and Koek's shot from the top of the circle glanced off a Denison defender and into the top of the cage with 4:31 remaining in the period.

Ohio Wesleyan looked to increase its lead during the second period, but Big Red defender Sarah Stratenus stopped a shot by Koek, and Denison keeper Maren Kraak made the save on a shot by junior midfielder Veronica Hardman (Blenheim, New Zealand/Ravenswood).

Denison evened the score late in the period when Madeleine Hunt passed the ball into the circle, Caitlin Ahearn sent it on toward the cage, and Kristin Kelly finished the play with 2:38 left in the half.

The Bishops outshot the Big Red, 5-1, during the third quarter but saw Kraak make 2 saves and Hunt stop another shot to keep the game at 1-1.

Freshman goalkeeper Meg McCarthy (Trumbull, Conn.) preserved the tie with a save on a shot by Hunt early in the fourth period.  Ohio Wesleyan earned a penalty corner during the closing seconds of regulation time, but could not get off a shot before the end of the period.

Ohio Wesleyan outshot Denison, 13-5.  McCarthy finished with 3 saves, while Kraak recorded 3 saves for the Big Red.

Koek was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.  She was joined on the all-tournament team by Crawford, Hardman, and Nelson.

Box Score