NCAC Issues: Denison Loses to Wittenberg
from press release
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Wittenberg men's lacrosse
team made history Tuesday night with their first win over
nationally-ranked Denison since the varsity program was reinstated
in 1983. The Tigers used an overtime, sudden-victory goal to send
Denison packing 9-8.
The Tigers, winners of six straight, moved to 8-2 on the season to
officially post their best start since 1983, as well. With two
North Coast Athletic Conference games remaining on the schedule,
the Tigers improved their record to 3-0 with the win.
After a defensive stalemate in the first quarter, the Big Red and
the Tigers paced each other with two goals headed into halftime.
Wittenberg creeped ahead with three goals to Denison's two in the
third, but the visitors scored four against the Tigers' three to
knot things up in the fourth quarter.
In a four-minute sudden victory overtime period, Wittenberg owned
all the momentum with a 7-1 advantage in shots. After 2:19 had
elapsed, the Tiger offense launched several shots in short order
and junior attackman Chris Gipson (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua) picked
up a rebound and fired the game-winning goal from close range to
seal the historic victory.
Though Gipson scored the game-winner, junior midfielder Mitch
Cohagan (Pickerington, Ohio/North) carried the day as the Tigers'
only multiple-goal scorer, finishing with four, including the
eighth tally which came just before a four-goal Denison run in the
fourth quarter and ended up as the goal which preserved the
tie.
Sophomore faceoff-man Elliot Avis (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand
Rapids) went 13-for-21 against a Denison unit winning 60 percent of
their faceoffs entering the game, giving the Tigers an immediate
advantage on the field.
Junior defensive midfielder Danny Johnson (Cincinnati, Ohio/Indian
Hill) led with seven groundballs and also scored one goal on two
shots. Avis picked up three groundballs, match by junior attackman
Matt Lord (Pickerington, Ohio/North) and junior goalkeeper Mark
DeOliveira (East Hanover, NJ/East Hanover).
DeOliveira spent the entire game in front of the net to pick up the
win on 10 saves. The defense held Denison to 38 shots, seven below
their season average, while the offense launched 41, 13 more than
Denison typically allows.
Other goal scorers for Wittenberg included junior Matt Snider
(Cookeville, Tenn./Cookeville), senior Ted Winders (Western
Springs, Ill./Lyons Township) and freshman Alex Previte (Dublin,
Ohio/Coffman), all with one apiece.
The Tigers get back at it with a Saturday, April 18, game hosting
Colorado College at Noon at Edwards-Maurer Field.
