GAMBIER, Ohio -- With the revised format of the North Coast Athletic Conference spring sports season, there is no tournament run-up to a championship game. Instead, the Kenyon College Lords, winners of the NCAC East Division, will go against the Denison University Big Red, winners of the NCAC West Division, in Saturday's conference finale.

Denison will play host for the 1 pm game to take place at Piper Stadium. The Big Red have a 7-1 record and are currently ranked at No. 15 in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association's national poll. The Lords come into the game unranked, but sporting an unblemished 6-0 mark.

Dating back to April 13, 2019, the Lords have a combined record of 15-2, which includes each of the last two shortened seasons. Due to circumstances surrounding the pandemic, this year's Kenyon team enters the championship game with an incomplete roster. The Lords have no first-year students playing and have just four seniors that will suit up.

Roster make-up aside, the Lords average 14.67 goals per game this season and yield an average of  6.67 goals per game. They are hitting .500 (9-of-18) in man-up situations, while posting a .390 (16-of-41) mark in man-down situations.

Individually, seniors Reed Russell and David Metzger will likely play huge roles in the title tilt. Russell is the team's face-off specialist who owns a .677 (88-of-130) win percentage. Metzger is the team's goalkeeper, who has made 72 saves to go along with a .661 save percentage and a 6.46 goals against average.

On the attack, Kenyon shows balance. Sophomore Joe Boesel leads the way with 26 points on a team-high 18 goals and eight assists. Junior Weston Powell has 23 points on 13 goals and a team-high 10 assists, while classmate Declan Curry sports 20 points on 14 goals and six assists. Both Mike Matteo (11) and Ethan Dewbrey (10) have double-digit goal totals, as well.

Denison will show up with a powerhouse offense, one that has posted an average scoring mark of 22.75 goals per game. On the other end of the field, the Big Red allow just 5.88 goals per game. In special teams play, they are .545 (12-of-22) in man-up and allowing  just .286 (6-of-21) in man-down.

The Big Red are dominant in face-offs, using multiple players to post a .787 (200-of-254) win percentage. In goal, T.J. Spahn normally gets the start. He has a .578 save percentage and a 5.41 goals against average.

In their offensive sets, the Big Red have had four players pile up 30 points or more this season. Luke Fisher and Ethan Tyack both have 36 points. Sam Asman has 35 points and Camden Bowdy has 34. Asman leads the way with 24 goals, while Bowdy has a team-best 21 assists.

These two teams have not faced each other since April 9, 2019. That game saw No. 13-ranked Denison hold on for a 15-12 conference win. The Big Red have won 16 straight against the Lords, who last defeated Denison in the season-opening game of the 2006 season.

The winner of Saturday's game is not only crowned conference champion, but earns the NCAC's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament.