Women

On Saturday, the Kenyon women’s lacrosse team had a dramatic comeback in a crucial conference game against Denison University. Trailing 12-10 in the fourth quarter, the team scored two quick goals to tie the game. Then, in overtime, Blythe Karras ’25 scored the game-winner to beat Denison 13-12. Coming off a high, the Owls played Oberlin College on Tuesday, beating the Yeowomen handily 18-4. 

In the first half of the game between Kenyon and Denison, the Owls seemed to have the upper hand, swiftly dominating the field to lead 6-2 at the end of the first quarter before extending the advantage to 8-5 by the end of the second quarter. In the third quarter, the Big Red made adjustments on the defensive front and outscored the Owls 5-1, taking their first lead of the night 10-9. 

Kenyon won two important draw controls in the fourth and turned them into goals to tie and push the game into overtime. Julia Losey ’23 won the draw control in the extra period, setting up Karras’ game-winning goal one minute and 11 seconds in.

In an email to the Collegian, Karras highlighted the team’s tenacity: “It was challenging to block out the energy of [Denison’s] home crowd,” she said. “At one point they seemed to think the momentum was in their favor and they started to celebrate. Their attitude put a chip on our collective shoulder.”

Caroline O’Neil ’23 led the way for the Kenyon offense with three goals and two assists for five points total, securing her a spot as NCAC Women’s Lacrosse Athlete of the Week. Nola Garand ’25 and Delaney Gallagher ’23 split time in goal, with Garand making a dozen saves in just under 47 minutes of play. 

In Tuesday’s game against Oberlin, Kenyon quickly took the lead by converting goals on its first two offensive possessions. Tatumn Eccleston ’23 assisted O’Neil on the first score, followed by a solo shot from Kate Lengel ’24. Despite facing a free position shot, Garand secured an early defensive stand for Kenyon. The Owls extended their lead to five midway through the first quarter, but Oberlin responded with a goal. However, Mallory Brophy ’25 broke through late in the period, putting the Owls ahead 6-1.

In the second quarter, Kenyon scored five goals before another late score from Oberlin. Losey helped Kenyon regain its momentum, scoring on a free position shot just before halftime to put the Owls ahead 12-2. Kenyon shut out Oberlin in the third period, increasing its lead to 15-2. Oberlin scored first in the final quarter, but a goal by Maddie Garner ’24 restored Kenyon’s 13-goal lead.

Nine Owls finished with goals in the game, with O’Neil adding two assists. Garand improved to 13-0 in goal, while Gallagher recorded three saves in relief.

With these two wins, the Owls set a new program record for the longest win streak. Kenyon will conclude its regular season on Saturday on the road against DePauw University, with a chance to clinch its second consecutive NCAC regular season championship with a victory. The Owls’ record is 15-0 (5-0 NCAC).

Men

The Kenyon men’s lacrosse team won the last two games of the regular season against Wabash College and Oberlin College, bringing the Owls’ record to 14-1 (7-1 NCAC). 

On Saturday, the Owls came out firing against the Little Giants, scoring 10 goals in the first quarter of play. After another strong quarter on both sides of the ball, Kenyon went into halftime with a 21-2 lead. Throughout the second half, the Owls’ defense continued to stifle the Little Giants’ attack, allowing a meager two goals in the last 30 minutes of the game. By the end of the game, 14 different players contributed at least one goal as Kenyon cruised to a 26-4 victory. 

David Chintala ’26 had an impressive performance against Wabash, scoring five goals and contributing two assists on the day. He played a significant role in helping the Owls get out to a large first-quarter lead, securing a hat trick in the first 15 minutes of play. In an email to the Collegian, Chintala attributed his hot start to great team play and ball movement. “[My teammates] were finding great lanes that I could feed into,” he said. “Without them, I would not have gotten off to that start.” Gavin Gumucio ’26 led the squad in scoring with eight points (5G, 3A), while Rollins Heath ’25 and Jack Giuffre ’23 also contributed to the blowout with five (3G, 2A) and four points (1G, 3A), respectively. 

In Tuesday’s game at Oberlin, Kenyon picked up a 15-12 victory to extend its win streak to seven games. Kenyon traded goals with Oberlin throughout the first half and went into halftime with an 8-6 lead. After a close third quarter, the Owls found themselves barely in the lead after an Oberlin goal brought the score to 11-10 to begin the fourth. However, the Owls were not about to let the Yeomen spoil their shot at a share of the NCAC regular season title as the team quickly regrouped and went on a four-goal run. Rowan Goldin ’25 was the offensive catalyst, scoring twice in the final 10 minutes. Two goals from Chintala brought his season total to 47, which places him second all-time in program history for goals scored in a season.

With their win at Oberlin, the Owls guaranteed a first-place conference finish, although Denison University and Ohio Wesleyan University can still equal Kenyon’s 7-1 NCAC record. The 2023 season was among the winningest in program history as focus now turns to the NCAC tournament starting on Wednesday.