GRANVILLE, Ohio  – A three-goal first half for Denison University helped lead the Big Red to a 3-1 win over the Kenyon College field hockey squad. Julie Freedman scored her second goal of the year but was not enough to spark a Ladies comeback. Kenyon drops to 3-2 in North Coast Athletic Conference play but will return to the field on Sunday at noon in a home match against Oberlin College.

An early score by Denison's Taylor Bacon came in the 24th minute when from 20 yards out her shot beat Kenyon keeper Sydney Carney-Knisely for the early lead. The next wave of Big Red goals came less than three minutes apart at the end of the opening half. Katie McMahon went the other way on a breakaway to double up Denison's lead at 32:11. Just before time expired, the Big Red added one more to their total when Alex Berman put home a rebound as a piece of early insurance.

Kenyon clamped down on defense in the second half, allowing fewer shots and keeping the Big Red off the scoreboard in the final 35 minutes. Freedman made it interesting when Denison goaltender Laura Campbell's allowed her attempt crossed over the goal line to get Kenyon on the board. The goal, scored unassisted in the 62nd minute, was unable to jumpstart the offense as the Ladies were able to rattle off one more shot through the duration of the contest.

The loss marks the first game since Sept. 1 in which the Ladies allowed more than one goal to an opponent. Their only losses in that eight-match span of time were both 1-0 decisions to the University of Rochester and DePauw University.

Kenyon (5-4, 3-2 NCAC) will host Oberlin College (2-6, 1-4 NCAC) tomorrow at 12 p.m. from McBride Field.