Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 0, Denison 0

Junior goalkeeper Sam Whitman (Baltimore, Md./Friends School of Baltimore) recorded 6 saves in posting a shutout, and the Ohio Wesleyan defense made a pair of key blocks during the final minutes as the Bishops and 10th-ranked Denison played to a scoreless tie in a showdown for the North Coast Atlantic Conference championship on Saturday in Granville.

The tie sends shares of the conference title to both schools, each with a record of 6-0-2 in conference play.  The conference championship is the Bishops' first since 2014 and is Ohio Wesleyan's league-leading 24th NCAC title.  Ohio Wesleyan will be the No. 1 seed in next week's NCAC tournament and will host fourth-seeded DePauw in a tournament semifinal at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Jay Martin Soccer Complex.  The tournament championship game will be held on Sunday at the campus of the higher remaining seed.

Senior forward Franklin Rodriguez (Santiago, Dominican Republic/Berkshire (Mass.)) had the first scoring chance of the game, but his shot on a free kick from about 25 yards out was high in the ninth minute.

Rodriguez had another look midway through the first half, but the shot was cleared off the line by a Big Red defender.

Whitman made a diving save in the closing minutes of the period, denying Henri Heyes on a shot near the right post.

The Bishops put a flurry of shots on goal early in the second half, one by Rodriguez and 2 by junior forward Christopher Guerra (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) during a span of just over a minute, but Big Red keeper Tommy Prokos made the save on each.

Denison earned a corner kick in the 58th minute, but a header by Hayes was cleared by senior midfielder Justin Carro (Wharton, N.J./Morris Hills).

The Big Red threatened during the 89th minute, with Cameron McIntosh centering the ball from the left end line only to see Whitman get a hand on the pass.  The ball bounced to Eli Taylor, whose shot was blocked by senior back Brady West (Dublin/Columbus St. Charles), and the rebound went to Jake Krueger, whose shot was blocked by junior back Tristan Ruiz de Somocurcio (Tampa, Fla./Tampa Prepatory) before the Bishops were able to clear the ball out of the final third.

Denison outshot Ohio Wesleyan, 12-7.  Whitman finished with 6 saves.

Box Score