DELAWARE, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team opened up conference play with their most-anticipated game of the season on Saturday afternoon, hosting rival Denison at Selby Stadium. The two sides – both receiving votes in the USILA polls – would battle back-and-forth for three quarters until the Bishops put together a six-goal streak to come back and close out the game 12-9.

The Red and Black advance to 3-4 on the season and start NCAC play 1-0. Denison falls to 2-7 on the year and starts conference play 0-1.

Ohio Wesleyan started slow, struggling to get the ball into the back of the net until there were just six seconds left in the first quarter. In the meantime, the Big Red broke out to a four-goal lead. Henry Ross was responsible for finally getting the Battling Bishops on the board, making it 4-1 at the end of the fourth quarter with an assist from Will Siegenthaler.

Denison scored again to open up the second quarter and proceeded to keep the Bishops quiet for the better part of 11 minutes. The final four minutes of the half were all OWU as the Red and Black mounted a four-goal comeback to knot the game at 5-5 at the break. Wade Beckstrom was the catalyst with assists on three of the four goals. Garrett Smith scored the first, followed by Ross and Carson Fialho before Smith scored again to cap off the quarter.

The sudden shift in momentum seemed to be all for naught come the third quarter where Ohio Wesleyan was outscored 4-1 and fell back behind 9-6. Smith scored the lone point of the period with an assist from Fialho. However, the Battling Bishops had one more surge left in them. In dramatic fashion, the Bishops shutout the Big Red in the final 15 minutes and set off on a six-goal streak to steal the game with a 12-9 final.

It was a group effort starting with Fialho, followed by Smith and Ross for the equalizers. Fialho found the back of the net again with the would-be game-winner around the six-minute mark. Nick Sauline scored an insurance goal about a minute later before Siegenthaler sealed the deal with an empty-netter. Smith and Siegenthaler both had two assists in the quarter, with Henry Pinamonti tallying one as well.

THE NUMBERS
It was a fairly even game offensively with Ohio Wesleyan nabbing a slight advantage in total shots 42-40. The Battling Bishops were more accurate at 32 shots on goal compared to 22 for Denison.

The Red and Black directly caused 10 turnovers, picked up 49 ground balls, and went 17-for-22 on clears and 15-for-25 on faceoffs.

Garrett Smith led the OWU offense with a career-high six points on four goals and two assists with three ground balls.

Carson Fialho and Will Siegenthaler both finished with four points, doing it in inverse fashion with Fialho having three goals and one assist and Siegenthaler recording three assists and one goal. Fialho also grabbed a career-high six ground balls. Siegenthaler grabbed one GB.

Similarly, Henry Ross and Wade Beckstrom secured three points each inverse of each other. Ross had three goals and Beckstrom had three assists. Ross also scrounged up seven ground balls.

Nick Sauline scored his second goal of the season.

Henry Pinamonti tallied an assist and a caused turnover.

Noah Citek was 14-for-24 on the faceoff, picking up a season-high 13 ground ball and causing two turnovers.

Luca DiCarlo (1 CT, 3 GB), Trey Weber (1 CT, 2 GB), and Aiden Gryzlo (1 CT) led the defensive front.

Jason Mosher (2-3) picked up his second win of the season, playing the full 60 minutes and making 13 saves with a career-high six ground balls and one caused turnover.

UP NEXT
The Bishops continue conference play next Saturday, traveling to Oberlin for a 1 p.m. faceoff.