Denison 3, Ohio Wesleyan 2

Oct. 25, 2008

Senior forward Allie Cozzone (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) gave Ohio Wesleyan a 2-1 second-half lead with her second goal of the game, but 12th-ranked Denison rallied to send the game into overtime, then got the game-winner to escape with a win in a battle of North Coast Athletic Conference unbeatens on Saturday at Roy Rike Field.

With the win, Denison extends its conference record to 6-0, while Ohio Wesleyan falls to 4-1-1 in NCAC play.

The Big Red jumped to an early lead. Jen Clemmer made a run toward the Ohio Wesleyan goal, but Bishop keeper Laura VanHoey (Rochester, Mich.) came out near the top of the penalty area to smother the shot. The ball caromed over to the left side of the goal, where Denison's Kim Oshita scored into the empty net just 2:53 into the game.

Denison keeper Courtney Cobb kept the Bishops off the scoreboard twice, snaring a header by sophomore defender Carly Topper (Novi, Mich./Greenhills) in the 11th minute, then grabbing a redirect off the foot of Cozzone midway through the half.

Cozzone came back in the 24th minute, serving the ball into the penalty area from about 35 yards out. The ball bounced inside the penalty area, took a high hop and just skimmed off the fingertips of Cobb and into the net for the game-tying goal.

Cozzone broke the tie early in the second half, making a run into the Denison box, then dishing off to freshman midfielder Makinzie Krebsbach (Vadnais Heights, Minn./Totino-Grace) on the right side. Krebsbach ran down the ball along the end line and sent the ball back to Cozzone, who dunked it into the left side of the Denison net with 36:41 left in regulation time.

Ohio Wesleyan's defense clung to the lead, with senior forward Megan Quinn (Hilliard/Columbus School for Girls) clearing a shot by Denison's Angela Coderre off the goal line in the 62nd minute and VanHoey grabbing a header by Julie Dean off a long crossing pass from Kate Henderson in the 65th minute.

The Big Red got the equalizer in the 80th minute, with the play again starting when a Bishop defender blocked a shot by Clemmer. This time, the ball rolled to Anna Rusch, whose follow shot tied the score with 10:23 left in regulation time.

Both teams had a chance to win in regulation, the Bishops when a header by freshman midfielder Jenny Howe (Newton, Mass./South) was saved by Cobb with 7:44 left, and the Big Red just over a minute later, when Sarah Ash's shot from the right side was cleared off the goal line by sophomore defender Victoria King (Westerville/Worthington Christian).

VanHoey made the play of the first overtime, grabbing Oshita's chip from near the top of the box to keep the game alive.

Ohio Wesleyan had a couple of chances in the second overtime, first when Cozzone made a run into the Denison penalty area and passed to Krebsbach, but Krebsbach's shot was high. A minute later, Quinn lofted a high shot toward the Big Red goal which Cobb punched away.

Shortly thereafter, Ash sent the ball across to Clemmer near the top of the Ohio Wesleyan penalty area, and Clemmer's shot ended the game.

Denison outshot Ohio Wesleyan, 26-18. VanHoey finished with 9 saves for Ohio Wesleyan, while Cobb had 8 saves for the Big Red.

Box Score