OBERLIN, Ohio - Needing just one-point on Saturday night to move into second in the North Coast Athletic Conference standings, Oberlin College men's soccer secured three points in a 3-2 win over Denison University in the 2016 regular season finale.

Already guaranteed a spot in the NCAC Tournament, the Yeomen had to show some resiliency and battle from behind, but a solid team effort lifted the Crimson and Gold to their 14th victory of the year and seventh against league competition.

The Yeomen moved into sole possession of second place in the conference with the win over the Big Red. With 21 points and a mark of 7-2-0 in league play, the Yeomen will welcome the Little Giants of Wabash College to Fred Shults Field for a mid-week, semifinal showdown,

The Big Red used a powerful counter attack to grab hold of a 1-nil lead in the 20th minute as Denison's Luis Zamora snuck a low attempt past Koryn Kraemer in the Oberlin net.

The Big Red's lead would last for nearly 20 minutes, but the Yeomen had different plans. After breaking into the final third, sophomore Trenton Bulucea laced a seed at the Denison net. The attempt rattled off of the crossbar and fell to an on-rushing Jack McMillin who tapped home the equalizer out of the reach of Big Red keeper Jack Thomas.

Locked at 1-1 at the break, the Yeomen weren't satisfied. After pestering Thomas in net and the Denison back line, the Yeomen gained access to the Denison penalty area and forced a foul in the box. The Denison foul merited a yellow card - the first of five in the match - and awarded the Yeomen and penalty kick. 

On senior night, in front of the Oberlin faithful, Nick Wertman laced home the try from the spot to push Oberlin ahead, 2-1. As Thomas dove off to his left, Wertman blasted the shot straight down the middle for the go-ahead score.

The one-goal advantage still didn't satisfy the Oberlin front line as the Yeomen continued to fire shots at the Denison goal. In the 63rd, Oberlin earned a corner kick and nearly found their third goal of the game when Jonah Blume-Kemkes found himself on the end of a Timothy Williams set piece. Blume-Kemkes broke into space in front of goal and flicked on a header that skipped at the feet of Thomas, but the Denison netminder hauled in the attempt.

Blume-Kemkes chance was followed by two more Oberlin corner attempts en route to the Yeomen earning five on the night. Bulucea triggered both set pieces and the second led to Sam Weiss booming a high shot over Thomas and into the roof of the net for a 3-1 lead. The goal marks Weiss' sixth of the year.

As the clock ticked under a quarter of an hour remaining, the Big Red chipped away at the Oberlin lead with another stellar counter attack. Denison's Christian Keiper took on the pair of Yeomen center backs, dribbled into space and knocked a shot across an out-stretch Kraemer and in.

Kraemer would finish with three stops against the Big Red pushing his 2016 total to 79.

Two yellow cards, both presented to Yeomen would be the most action that took place in the closing minutes until the full 90-minutes expired. In jubilation, the Yeomen and their fans celebrated the victory on Saturday night and their second consecutive berth into the NCAC Tournament.

The Yeomen enter as the two-seed, while Kenyon enters as the top-team at 8-1-0 in conference play. Wabash and DePauw round out the four-team bracket at third and fourth, respectively.

Oberlin College men's soccer will host the Little Giants on Wednesday night in the semifinals. In the regular-season bout the Yeomen escaped Crawfordsville, Indiana with a thrilling 2-1, double overtime victory.

Kickoff from underneath the flood lights of Fred Shults Field is slated for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 2.

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