The 15th ranked DePauw men's soccer team (9-2, 3-1 NCAC) lost 1-0 Saturday at home to third ranked Ohio Wesleyan University Bishop's (11-1, 3-0 NCAC). The game was a battle between two undefeated conference teams and nationally ranked foes.
This game determined which team will enjoy home-field advantage at the conference tournament.
"On paper, the winner of this game gets home-field advantage at the conference tournament," head coach Brad Hauter said. "If we both hold serve the rest of the regular season there will be a lot at stake in our next matchup."
Freshman forward Andy Morrison is focused on finishing out the regular season well.
"We need to keep our focus and lock up one of the top 4 seeds for the conference tournament," Morrison said. "Play each game like it's our last, and get another chance at Ohio Wesleyan."
The Tigers came into the game looking to stop the secondary run, and Ohio Wesleyan played exactly like the Tigers' scouting report predicted.
"They brought our scouting report to life," Hauter said. "The key to Ohio Wesleyan is to stop not the primary run, but the secondary run, the secondary player is the creator. And the one goal they scored was from the secondary run."
The Tigers are confident that they can topple the Bishops in the conference tournament.
"That visual and emotional memory will lead into the conference tourney," Hauter said. "We are hard to beat, especially twice, and look our guys in the eye and tell them we beat them and play at their level."
Morrison believes the Tigers will exhibit improved performance in the next matchup.
"I think we will be more confident next time and ready to play," Morrison said. "We showed them we could play and we expect to win and get that NCAA bid."
The Tiger's are looking to bounce back from the loss, and return to the high-powered east to west offense on Wednesday at Wittenberg University (5-6-1, 1-2 NCAC).
— Lewis Brown contributed to this article