GAMBIER, Ohio – The Kenyon College field hockey team wrapped up its first half of North Coast Athletic Conference play Saturday afternoon by falling, 1-0, to the Denison University Big Red.

The result left the Big Red and the Ladies tied for second in the NCAC standings at 5-2, each trailing DePauw University by one game. The first-place Tigers, who have a 4-1 conference mark, host Ohio Wesleyan University on Saturday evening.

After a scoreless first half at McBride Field, Denison's Charlotte Happel found the back of the net in the very first minute of the second half. Happel was able to score after teammate Melissa Hoey's shot attempt was deflected by the stick of Kenyon midfielder Zoe Chrissos. The resulting deflection bounced to Happel who sent it into the cage.

From that point, the Big Red would record just one more shot in the last 34 minutes of action, as they shifted strategies and packed it in defensively to protect their own cage.

The Ladies were held without a shot attempt in the first half, but powered through with seven shots in the second half. While the offense looked much more in sync as the game wore it, it just was not able to crack the Denison defense. Goalkeeper Ellen Westfall recorded three saves for the victorious Big Red, while Sarah Speroff collected four saves for the Ladies.

Next, Kenyon will travel to Oberlin College for a noon NCAC contest on Sunday. Thursday, the team will head to Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, to face Christopher Newport University on a neutral-site field.