GAMBIER, Ohio – The Kenyon College men's soccer team is ready to get the postseason underway. Thursday, the Lords will make a quick trip west to Delaware, Ohio, to take on the Ohio Wesleyan University Battling Bishops in the first round of the four-team North Coast Athletic Conference tournament.
                Kenyon enters the tournament as the No. 4 seed with a 9-6-2 overall record and a 5-2-2 mark in conference play. Ohio Wesleyan is the tournament's No. 1 seed and owns a 13-2-3 overall record and a 7-1-1 record in the NCAC. The Battling Bishops are the defending NCAA Division III champions and are ranked at No. 19 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll.
                During regular-season play last week, Ohio Wesleyan topped Kenyon, 2-0. The two teams battled through a scoreless draw for the first 60 minutes of action, but Ohio Wesleyan scored twice in an 11-minute span to escape Mavec Field with the win.
                Kenyon is making its sixth NCAC tournament appearance in the last seven seasons. Offensively, the Lords are led by senior forward J.J. Jemison,  who's posted team-highs of seven goals, three assists, and 17 points. Defense, however, is Kenyon's forte. The Lords have allowed just nine goals in 17 games. The team's goals against average (0.51) ranks 11th-best in the nation. Senior goalkeeper James Smith has made 44 saves, has ten shutouts, and has a personal goals against average of 0.49.
                Ohio Wesleyan will counter with an offense that scores an average of 2.17 goals per game. Colton Bloecher heads up the offense with a dozen goals, six assists, and 30 points. Kit North has six goals and Brian Schaefer has five. Defensively, the Battling Bishops allow 0.78 goals per game, giving up just 14 scores in 18 games. Goalkeeper Paul Hendricks ranks second in the NCAC, behind Smith, with a 0.80 goals against average.
                The two teams have met just twice in past NCAC tournaments, with Ohio Wesleyan winning both times. The more recent of the two meetings was in 2008, when Ohio Wesleyan recorded a 4-0 victory in the opening round.
                Thursday's game will begin at 7 p.m. on Roy Rike Field. Ticket prices for all NCAC tournament games are $7 for adults and $3 for children 18 and under. Students bearing an ID from an NCAC institution will be admitted free of charge. There will be no re-entry and no containers are permitted.
                The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday evening, but was postponed by the NCAC because of the poor weather conditions and the impact of Hurricane Sandy. Thursday's winner will play in the conference final, which will be held Saturday at the highest remaining seed.