Across the past few weeks, the Kenyon men’s and women’s soccer teams returned to action, with both teams continuing conference play.
Men: Kenyon dropped two close conference matches over the past few weeks, falling 2-1 to rival No. 1 Denison University on Oct. 4 and 1-0 to Oberlin College at home on Oct. 8. On Wednesday, the Owls traveled to Wittenberg University and brought home a tie. The results leave the Owls still searching for their first North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) win of the season.
The Owls opened conference play on the road in Granville, facing an unbeaten Denison squad in a tense matchup. Kenyon controlled much of the early possession, stringing together passes through midfield and earning several set pieces in the opening 30 minutes. Despite the offensive momentum, the Big Red capitalized on a defensive lapse in the 35th minute to take a 1-0 lead into halftime.
The Owls responded with urgency after the break. Just 10 minutes into the second half, defender Jack Commandeur ’29 equalized after a well-placed cross from Joey Nigro ’29, whose delivery from the right wing slipped through the Denison back line. Commandeur calmly slotted the ball past the keeper to make it 1-1.
Kenyon nearly took the lead minutes later when Grant Blake ’29’s long-range effort forced a diving save from the Denison goalkeeper. The Owls continued to press, outshooting the Big Red 7-4 in the second half, but the tide turned late in the half when Denison converted a penalty kick in the 79th minute. Despite several chances in the closing moments, Kenyon could not find a second equalizer.
Kenyon returned to Gambier looking to bounce back, but again fell in another close contest, this time to Oberlin, marking Kenyon’s first loss to the Yeomen since 2006. The Owls dominated possession throughout the match, generating 19 total shots and 11 corner kicks, but could not find the finishing touch.
Kenyon pushed the pace early throughout the first half, with Lucas de Alarcon ’28 and Danny Kankam ’29 each testing the opposing keeper from a distance. In the 25th minute, Johnny Hunwick ’29 nearly opened the scoring with a shot that soared just over the crossbar. The Owls’ high press limited the Yeomen to a handful of counterattacks, and the teams entered halftime scoreless.
Momentum shifted briefly in the 54th minute, when Oberlin broke through on a quick transition, scoring against the run of play. Kenyon responded by pouring on offensive pressure for the remainder of the match, maintaining possession deep in the attacking third. Hyugo Todo ’29 came closest to equalizing with a low strike from inside the box, but the Oberlin goalkeeper turned the shot away with a sharp save to keep his team in front.
On Wednesday, the Owls hit the road to play Wittenberg University. Kenyon started on the front foot, possessing the ball up the field until de Alarcon found the back of the net in the 21st minute, but the Tigers quickly found an equalizer 10 minutes later.
The teams went into the second half tied, both vying for the lead. After just three minutes of play, Wittenberg was the first to break the tie. The Owls refused to go down without a fight, however, striking back just 40 seconds later through Kankam. The remainder of the game consisted of back and forth in the midfield to end in a 2-2 tie.
The two one-goal losses and one tie mark a difficult start to conference play for the Owls, whose record now stands at 4-3-5 (0-2-1 NCAC). Up next, Kenyon will face John Carroll University on Saturday for Senior Day.
Women: On Oct. 4, Kenyon began conference play with a 1-0 triumph over The College of Wooster. The following Saturday, the Owls traveled to Greencastle, Indiana, for another conference matchup against DePauw University, with the Owls struggling offensively and falling 1-0. Kenyon now holds an overall record of 7-2-3 (1-1 NCAC).
Kenyon had a promising offensive start against a strong conference opponent in Wooster. Early in the first half, Emily Copeland ’28 registered the first shot of the game, but Wooster’s goalkeeper blocked her attempt. Unfortunately for the Owls, the Scots’ offense quickly gained momentum and rifled off four unanswered shots. However, Kenyon’s formidable defense was able to defuse Wooster’s offensive onslaught, giving the Owls an opportunity to counter and leaving the game scoreless.
Going into the second half, Kenyon looked to spark more attacking pressure and maintain its steady back line. To start the period, the two teams remained in an offensive deadlock. Both Kenyon and Wooster traded shots, but neither opponent was able to find the back of the net. In the 47th minute, Julianna Granetzke ’26 buried a beautiful shot past Wooster’s keeper off a pass from Brooke Heis ’26. Kenyon maintained offensive pressure throughout the rest of the second half, but the Owls were unable to convert on any additional shots and ended with a 1-0 win.
This past weekend, the Owls clashed with the DePauw University Tigers. Kenyon’s dominant offense sustained a relentless attack but was unable to convert on multiple opportunities in the attacking end. In the first half, the Owls outshot the Tigers 8 to 2, but Kenyon kept narrowly missing the net. DePauw capitalized on one of its two shots, earning a 1-0 lead heading into the second half.
After the break, the Owls looked to respond to DePauw and even the score. Kenyon continued to fire off a swarm of shots, registering nine in the second half. The Owls’ defense firmly subdued Wooster’s attack, resulting in the Tigers’ inability to log a single shot in the second half. While the Owls fought tirelessly, they had no answer to Depauw’s goal. The final score was 1-0, leaving the Owls 1-1 in conference play.
On Friday, the Owls look for another conference win in their road matchup against Wittenberg University.