Wabash College matched nationally ranked Denison University with 10 shots and got a late goal from Alfredo Campos but fell 3-1 Wednesday in North Coast Athletic Conference men’s soccer action in the Little Giants’ final home match of the season.
Wabash dropped to 10-8-1 overall and 1-6-0 in conference play. Denison, ranked 18th in the United Soccer Coaches poll, improved to 9-1-6 overall and 5-0-2 in the NCAC.
Campos scored his seventh goal of the season in the 82nd minute, finishing a pass from Will Aurrichio at 81:58 to cut the deficit to two goals. Aurrichio recorded his first assist of the season.
The Little Giants generated three corner kicks and shots from Bryce Kinnaman and Carson Prather during an early first-half stretch but could not take the lead. Denison’s Colin MacDonald opened the scoring at 26:43 and added his second goal at 36:36, with assists from William Hallis and Julian Bozzolo.
Logan Dottenwhy put a shot on goal in the final minute of the half, but Denison goalkeeper Ronan Kiter made the save to preserve the Big Red’s 2-0 advantage.
Wabash outshot Denison 6-4 after halftime, but Lowen Jamison extended the visitors’ lead to 3-0 with a goal at 56:02. The Little Giants answered with two corner kicks and three shots during a stretch of less than two minutes. Colton Hughes-Suiters and Ethan Simmons had attempts blocked before Kiter saved another shot from Simmons.
Freshman goalkeeper Gabe Sanich made two second-half saves, including a stop less than a minute after Campos scored, and finished with three saves in 90 minutes.
Kinnaman and Simmons led Wabash with two shots apiece. The Little Giants finished with eight corner kicks, including five in the second half. Denison recorded 11 corners and held a 6-3 edge in shots on goal.
Wabash closes the season Saturday at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
