Brady Burton (#11) scored three times but it wasn't enough as the Big Red bowed out of the NCAA Quarterfinals after a 13-8 loss to Gettysburg.

For most of the 2009 season the fast start had been Denison's calling card, jumping all over opponents before they had a chance to regroup.  On Wednesday in the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals from Shirk Field, Gettysburg College flipped the script on the Big Red, riding a hot start to a 13-8 victory and putting an end to Denison's thrilling postseason run in the NCAA's Elite 8.

In the opening seconds things looked like business as usual for the Big Red.  After Connor Detjen (Winnetka, Ill./Loyola) won the opening face-off he found Ted Gulyas (Medina, Ohio/Medina) for a goal after only 15 seconds had ticked off the clock.  Gettysburg would regroup and counter with three goals in a span of just over three minutes to take a 3-1 lead with 11:45 left in the first quarter.  Forty-three seconds later Denison came back when Tanner Smith (Boxford, Mass./Brooks School) found Nate Hall (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) who sent a bouncing shot past Bullet goalie Zach Furshman to cut the lead to one at 3-2.

The score would remain 3-2 in favor of Gettysburg until the 6:50 mark of the first quarter when Zach Pucci scored off a pass from Kyle McGrath.  That goal would spark a 4-0 run for Gettysburg resulting in a 7-2 lead early in the second quarter.

DU would stop that Gettysburg scoring streak when Hall hooked up with Brady Burton (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome) from behind the goal with 11:55 left in the second quarter, cutting the lead to 7-3.  With plenty of time left in the game, the closing minutes of the second frame were pivotal for the Big Red.  Gettysburg's defense was aware of Denison's need to close out the period on a high note and they proceeded to score three more times to enter halftime with a 10-3 lead.

Gettysburg's offense was accurate all afternoon and their shooting performance in the first half was the difference in the game.  The Bullets forced DU into seven first quarter turnovers and their offense scored on 10 of 19 shot attempts in the opening 30 minutes.

In the second half Denison would get as close as five late in the third quarter after back-to-back man-up goals by Dan Maude (Wayne, Pa./Haverford School) and Burton.  Gettysburg attack Joe Brody squashed any shot at a Big Red comeback with two straight goals to open the fourth quarter.

DU was led in scoring by Burton who finished with three goals.  He ends the 2009 season with a career-high 53 goals scored.  Senior attack, Hall, scored one goal and had two assists bringing his four-year assist total to 78.

Also getting in on the scoring was Smith who scored once and added two assists, Maude who had one goal and one assist and Gulyas who scored the game's opening goal. 

Denison attempted 40 shots on the day with 27 of those coming in the second half.  Gettysburg took 19 shots in the first half and 12 in the second half.  The Big Red controlled face-off's, winning 16 of 24.  Detjen was 14 for 21.  Big Red goalie Gregg Shannon (Lindenhurst, N.Y./St. Anthony's) ended the day with five saves and Furshman stopped seven for the Bullets.

Denison's season comes to an end with a 14-3 record while Gettysburg improves to 15-3 and will await the winner of the Salisbury/Stevenson in this Saturday's NCAA Semifinal game.