Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 1, Denison 0

by Michaela Alfano '25

Junior midfielder Avery Slucher (Louisville, Ky./Christian Academy of Louisville) scored the game-winner when she put Ohio Wesleyan on the board in the 32nd minute, which carried them to a 1-0 win over Denison in the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament championship game on Saturday at Selby Stadium.

With the win, Ohio Wesleyan has clinched its third NCAC tournament title in the last 4 seasons.  The Bishops finished the regular season as co-champions in the NCAC.  With the tournament win today, they have punched their ticket to the NCAA Division III tournament with a 17-4 record.  The NCAA Division III tournament bracket is scheduled to be released on Sunday.

The Bishops had 3 shots in the first period where they came out strong, but one was blocked and 2 were deflected wide to keep the score even at 0-0.

In the third quarter, Ohio Wesleyan earned a penalty corner, which freshman forward Mary Powers (Centreville, Va./Chantilly) stepped up to take.  Powers sent the ball in to Slucher, who brought it to the top of the circle and shot it.  The ball glanced off a Denison defender's stick, sending it into the air over everyone before hitting the back of the cage to put the Bishops up, 1-0.

Denison tried to get one back in the fourth quarter when Lila Smith received a pass from Emma Gebhart and tried to tip it in, but it was just outside the post.  From there, the Bishops pushed forward, not allowing Dension any other chances to score.

The game was close the entire time, with both teams combined only having 8 shots, with the Bishops outshooting the Big Red, 5-3.

Slucher had 2 shots while senior midfielder Zoë Nelson (Frederick, Md./Urbana), sophomore midfielder Grace Ammon (Southborough, Mass./Algonquin Regional), and freshman midfielder Emma Reynolds (Delaware/Columbus Bishop Watterson) each notched 1.  Senior goalkeeper Meg McCarthy (Trumbull, Conn.) played all 60 minutes in goal.

Slucher was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, and was joined on the all-tournament team by senior forward Colleen McMenamin (Chester, N.J./West Morris Regional), Powers, junior midfielder Emma Morgeson (Louisville, Ky./Christian Academy of Louisville), and McCarthy.  Reilly Desmond, Claire Willoughby, and Tabitha Chandler represented Denison.  Lilly Harris and Charlotte Hood from DePauw and Devyn Groces and Caitlin Archdeacon from Wittenberg also made the team.

Box Score