GRANVILLE, Ohio – The College of Wooster field hockey team resumed North Coast Athletic Conference play on Wednesday and fell 6-0 to Denison University at Deeds Field-Piper Stadium.
Wooster (1-4, 0-2 NCAC) faced 33 shots on the afternoon from Denison (2-5, 1-0 NCAC), 22 of which were on goal. Junior Cate Barkdoll stopped 15 Big Red shots, while sophomore Brooke Benjamin was credited with a first-collegiate defensive save. Barkdoll's saves marked a career-high by two and it was the third double-digit save total turned in this fall. Barkdoll is now at 55 saves on the season, which is a new career-high.
Benjamin's defensive save was Wooster's sixth of the year, which moved the Fighting Scots up to a tie for third nationally.
Lila Smith's hat trick led Denison's offense. Smith was supported by a brace from Emma Gebhart and a single goal off Reilly Desmond's stick. Smith opened the game's scoring in the eighth minute and capped it in the 57th minute.
Sophomore Audrey McKenna stepped in front of a Denison pass on the far sideline in the 48th minute. McKenna's follow-up lead pass found classmate Naledi Jani in transition, but Jani's try at a goal was saved by Lizzie Karnofel.
Later, junior Lizzie Hardy deflected possession away from a Big Red player and that led to junior Natalie Katzenmeyer getting a shot off just inside the offensive circle. Katzenmeyer was looking to work the ball to first-year Frankie Zehnal at the far post, but Karnofel intervened for the save.
Wooster is idle until a noon home game on Saturday, September 28 against DePauw University (3-3, 1-0 NCAC).
