GAMBIER, Ohio – In arguably its stiffest test of the season to date, the No. 2-ranked Kenyon College men's soccer team had no problem dealing No. 17-ranked Centre College a 1-0 loss Wednesday evening at Mavec Field.

The victory pushed Kenyon's overall record to 7-0-0 for the third consecutive season, while the loss dropped the visiting and previously unbeaten Colonels to 5-1-0. The two teams have now tangled in each of the past five seasons and Kenyon owns a 4-1-0 record in that short span.

The Kenyon men sent a message early Wednesday, bombarding the Centre net with eight shots over the course of the game's first seven minutes. That aggressive approach paid off about 15 minutes later, when the Lords rang up their first and only goal. A throw-in from junior Woo Jeon made its way to the middle of the Centre box without anyone getting a touch on it. It bounced once before sophomore Brice Koval made a charge at it and headed it past Colonels' goalkeeper Bailey Spade.

The goal was Koval's third in the last three games. He now shares the team lead with Tony Amolo for goals (4) and points (9).



Throughout the first half, Kenyon outshot the Colonels, 12-2. That pace, however, didn't hold up in the second half as the defenses and the uncommonly hot temperature slowed things down. Kenyon managed six more shots in the second stanza and did generate a couple of scoring chances, but nothing cleared the goal line.

Koval had another great opportunity in the 66th minute. He gained control of a pass a split-second before Spade did, but his hurried shot slipped just wide of the post. As the final minutes ticked away, senior Josh Lee also had a couple of solid opportunities, but one shot sailed just high and the other was stopped by Spade, who finished the game with four saves.

The shutout was Kenyon's sixth of the season and senior goalkeeper Sam Clougher needed to make just two saves to preserve it.

Up next for the Lords is the start to their North Coast Athletic Conference slate. They'll head to Wittenberg University to get things underway with the Tigers at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.