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Kenyon College Athletics

Eamon Dujakovich
Marty Fuller
1
Kenyon KEN (12-3-3, 6-2-0)
2
Winner Denison DEN (12-1-5, 6-0-2)
Kenyon KEN
(12-3-3, 6-2-0)
1
Final
2
Denison DEN
(12-1-5, 6-0-2)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
Kenyon KEN 0 1 1
Denison DEN 1 1 2

Game Recap: Men's Soccer |

Owls fall short in NCAC semifinal

GRANVILLE, Ohio -- The Kenyon College men's soccer team got off to a solid start Thursday night, but host Denison University had an answer, scoring twice and holding on for a 2-1 victory in the semifinal round of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament at Kienzle-Hylbert Stadium.

The No. 14-ranked Owls controlled possession for roughly the first 20 minutes of play, but didn't come away with anything to show for it. The Kenyon men fired off the first five shots of the game. Three were blocked by Denison defenders and the other two shots, from Jacob Lazarus and Lawrence Taylor, were saved by Big Red goalkeeper Tommy Prokos.

Although No. 10-ranked Denison hadn't recorded a shot to that point, momentum began to change. The Big Red earned a corner kick in the game's 32nd minute. A moment before the corner was taken, the Big Red subbed in Phil Koutsaftis. After the corner was taken, the ball got booted around the Kenyon box until it fell to the feet of Koutsaftis, who fired it past Kenyon keeper Jack Pedreschi for a 1-0 Denison lead.

Denison continued to have the best of possession for the remainder of the half, even though Kenyon managed an 8-4 shot advantage over those first 45 minutes of play.

In the 54th minute, the Big Red struck again, doubling its lead. This time a Kaden Kist cross from the left side was delivered perfectly to Justin Crow, who was sprinting up the middle of the Kenyon box and headed the ball downward and over the goal line.

A bit staggered and frustrated, the Owls looked to Eamon Dujakovich and he didn't disappoint. The Kenyon senior, who had a shot zip just a bit wide of the net in the final seconds of the first half, began to take over the game.

Just six minutes after the second Denison goal, Dujakovich scored his fifth goal of the season to bring his Kenyon crew back into the contest. A centering pass from Victor Bravo III sprung Dujakovich free for a run to goal. He darted right and kicked left, putting the Owls on the board with about 30 minutes remaining.

Dujakovich didn't stop there. One minute later, he ripped another shot that Prokos had to save. His charge helped Kenyon keep the pressure on, so much so that Denison did not record a shot over the final 34 minutes of the contest.

The Owls got one final good look in the game's 79th minute, but Justin Buchwalter's shot from long range ended up hitting the crossbar.

Overall, Kenyon out-shot Denison, 12-7, with both teams putting five on goal.

The win for Denison (12-1-5), puts the Big Red in the NCAC final against DePauw University, a 2-1 overtime winner against Ohio Wesleyan University in the conference's other semifinal game.

Kenyon (12-3-3) will now have to wait to see if its season is extended when the NCAA reveals the 64-team Division III Tournament bracket at 1:30 pm on Monday, November 11.
 
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