CLEVELAND, OH - The top seeds claimed the semifinal round of the 2025 NCAC Field Hockey Tournament as No. 1 Ohio Wesleyan prevailed 3-0 over No. 4 Wittenberg, while No. 2 Denison defeated No. 3 DePauw 3-1. The Battling Bishops will host the Big Red in Saturday's tournament title game at 2:00 p.m. in Delaware, Ohio.
#1 OHIO WESLEYAN (11-5) 3, #4 WITTENBERG (6-11) 0
- Ohio Wesleyan struck quickly, scoring three goals in the opening quarter thanks to senior Emma Wright (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee), sophomore Mary Powers (Centreville, VA/Chantilly) and junior Grace Ammon (Southborough, MA/Algonquin Regional).
- Wright put the Battling Bishops on the board in the 12th minute, finishing a pass from classmate Emma Morgeson (Louisville, KY/Christian Academy of Louisville). Just 90 seconds later, Powers doubled the lead with goal assisted by Ammon. Then Ammon added another insurance goal in the 15th minute off an assist from classmate Mattison Hyland (Saylorsburg, PA/Pleasant Valley) to make it 3-0.
- OWU controlled possession throughout, outshooting Wittenberg 27-2 and allowing zero shots on goal, allowing junior goalkeeper Payton Mindel (Louisville, KY/duPont Manual) to earn the shutout victory.
- Wittenberg first-year goalkeeper Taryn Toburen (Lititz, PA/Warwick) tallied nine saves to keep the Tigers within reach.
#2 DENISON (11-6) 3, #3 DEPAUW (12-5) 1
- Denison wasted no time getting on the board, scoring exactly three minutes into the game when junior Emma Gebhart (Carlisle, MA/Concord Carlisle) finished a pass from senior Nina Casingal (Charlotte, NC/Charlotte Catholic) inside the circle to give the Big Red an early 1-0 lead.
- Less than seven minutes later, Gebhart struck again, cleaning up a loose ball in front of the cage to make it 2-0.
- The Big Red extended the advantage to 3-0 in the 12th minute when junior Lila Smith (Charlotte, NC/Myers Park) capitalized on a rebound.
- DePauw was able to get on the scoreboard before the end of the first quarter, as first-year Rosie Ondrla (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park & River Forest) scored off a setup from senior Hailey Nowak (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park & River Forest) to pull the Tigers within two scores.
- Denison controlled possession the rest of the way, outshooting DePauw 14-10 and holding an 8-3 edge in shots on goal.
- Sophomore goalkeeper Therese Lucian (Mickleton, NJ/Tower Hill School (DE)) recorded two saves in the win.