Edited: Nov. 15, 2009

North Coast Athletic Conference champion Denison (16-3-2) advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year following a 2-0 victory over Transylvania. Denison suffered a 1-0 loss in today’s second-round match at Otterbein - the second straight year the Cardinals knocked the Big Red out of the post-season. Otterbein advances to a four-team sectional tournament to be held Nov. 20-21 or Nov. 21-22 on the campus of one of the competing institutions. Sectional winners advance to the semifinals and championship, set for December 4-5 at Blossom Sports Stadium in San Antonio, Texas. Overall, this was Denison’s 13th trip to the NCAA post-season. Against Transylvania, Denison junior Eliza Miller (Canal Winchester, OH/Wellington) found the back of the net just 1:23 into the game. Junior Jen Clemmer (Hixson, TN/The Baylor School) added an insurance goal to seal the win.

NCAC tournament champion Wittenberg (12-5-5) won its first round contest, 3-1 over nationally ranked Ohio Northern. A free kick by junior Erin McLeish (Dublin, OH/Scioto) in the 52nd minute proved to be the game-winner. The Tigers advanced to the second round for the third time in the past four years, only to see their season end with a 1-0 loss to Calvin.

The NCAC has had at least one team in the NCAA tournament field in 16 of the past 19 seasons, highlighted by a three-team contingent in 2006 (Denison, Kenyon and Wittenberg) and in 1992 (Denison, Ohio Wesleyan and Wooster). Ohio Wesleyan has twice won the NCAA Division III championship (2001, ‘02).

Complete NCAA Tournament information can be found online at: www.ncaa.com