The Ohio Wesleyan University field hockey team will face 16th-ranked Washington & Lee in a first-round game of the NCAA Division III tournament at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday in Lexington, Va., it was announced by the NCAA on Sunday.
Ohio Wesleyan (16-2) won the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament with wins over Denison (1-0) and DePauw (1-0), the Battling Bishops' second consecutive NCAC tournament title. The Bishops finished second in the NCAC standings with a 7-1 record. Ohio Wesleyan will be making its second straight and 10th overall NCAA Division III playoff appearance. In last year's tournament, the Bishops upended 15th-ranked Cortland in the first round and lost at fourth-ranked Rowan in the second round.
Senior midfielder Veronica Hardman (Blenheim, New Zealand/Ravenswood) scored the game-winning goal early in the second overtime period against DePauw and was named the NCAC tournament's Most Valuable Player. Sophomore goalkeeper Meg McCarthy (Trumbull, Conn.) leads NCAA field hockey (all divisions) in both goals-against average (0.064) and saves percentage (.933). Junior forward Allie Crawford (West Hartford, Conn./Hall) leads the NCAC in goals (15) and points (35), and junior forward Emily Streeter (Acton, Mass./Acton-Boxborough) has tallied 11 goals.
Ohio Wesleyan has allowed only 1 goal in its 18 games and leads NCAA field hockey (all divisions) in shutouts per game (0.94) and saves percentage (.941). The Bishops have set school and conference records with 17 shutouts this season. Ohio Wesleyan ranks ninth in NCAA Division III in scoring margin at +3.13.
Washington & Lee (16-2) won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship by taking the ODAC tournament with wins over Roanoke (3-0) and Lynchburg (1-0). The Generals had finished in a 3-way tie with Lynchburg and Shenandoah atop the ODAC standings at 7-1 in conference play. Washington & Lee was ranked No. 16 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association rankings dated Nov. 1. Washington & Lee is making its second consecutive and fourth overall appearance in the NCAA Division III tournament. In 2021, the Generals received a first-round bye, defeated Scranton in the second round, and lost to Rowan in a quarterfinal matchup.
Forward Peyton Tysinger scored the game-winning goal in overtime against Lynchburg. Tysinger and forward Freddie Tobeason scoring 14 apiece, forward Alexis Parks contributing 13, and midfielder Betty Bootwright adding 10. Goalkeeper Abby Long has started all 18 games in the Generals' cage, recording a goals-against average of 1.15 and collecting 3 shutouts.
Washington & Lee has scored 83 goals on the season and ranks fifth in NCAA Division III in goals per game (4.61), seventh in assists per game (2.72), and sixth in scoring margin (+3.60).
Wednesday's game will be the first meeting between Ohio Wesleyan and Washington & Lee in field hockey.
The teams have two common opponents this season in Kenyon and Bridgewater. Ohio Wesleyan downed Bridgewater, 4-0, on Sept. 25 at Selby Stadium and was a 1-0 winner over Kenyon on Oct. 12 at Selby Stadium. Washington & Lee defeated Kenyon, 7-0, on Sept. 24 in Lexington and defeated Bridgewater, 3-0, in the team's regular-season finale on Oct. 29 in Bridgewater, Va.
The winner of Wednesday's first-round game will advance to face the winner of a first-round game between Williams (Mass.) and Johnson & Wales (R.I.) in a second-round game on Saturday in Salisbury, Md. The second round and quarterfinal matchups will be played on Saturday and Sunday in Salisbury.
NCAA championship release
NCAA championship bracket (interactive)
NCAA championship bracket (printable)
NCAA digital game program
