The Fighting Scots (7-5, 1-1 NCAC) saw their winning streak extend to five games this week, before falling to Colorado College (7-1) last Sunday 12-4.
The week started with a road contest against Trine College (4-4) in Angola, Indiana. After a slow opening quarter that ended in a 1-1 tie, Wooster began an offensive onslaught, which saw the Scots score 10 unanswered goals during the second and third quarters.
With a comfortable lead heading into the fourth quarter, the defense locked down Trine, only allowing five shots in the final quarter of play. Overall, the Scots outshot Trine 35-21 and forced 18 turnovers while only turning the ball over eight times.† Offensively, Wooster was paced by Matt Pullara ’11 and Casey McGann ’12, who each scored hat tricks.
The Scots’ defense has been the constant all season, giving up an average of just 8.58 goals per game against some of the toughest competition in Div. III.
Anchored by the veteran leadership of Ryan Story ’10 and Graham Zimmerman ’11, the underclassmen who the Scots have relied heavily upon have stepped up into crucial leadership positions as the season has gone on.
Zimmerman said for these talented sophomores “it’s been good to have them develop and for them to have a year of experience under their belt” from last season.
Mike Stankiewicz ’12 has excelled along side Story and Bryan McDonald ’11 in the defensive backfield, which is annually ranked nationally.
The success that the Scots have seen this year has been rooted in the development of young players. Zimmerman believes that “experience grows into confidence and towards the end of the season we will really be able to show that.”
Corey McGann ’12 has been† excellent in goal for the Scots, and recorded five saves and allowing only three goals in 60 minutes of play against Trine. The victory against Trine was Wooster’s first road victory of the season.
On Friday the team returned home to face Albion College (2-5), a school with a first-year varsity program. Wooster scored in the first seven seconds of the game, just short of the NCAC Div. III record. The Scots went on to score 10 more times in the quarter, pulling their starters at the onset of the second quarters with an 11-1 lead.
Even with the reserves in, Wooster continued to attack, shutting out Albion 7-0 in the second and third periods. A trio of Scots led the way with Pullara, Stephen Crosier ’13 and Eric Johnson ’12 all recording hat-tricks.
Matt Ranck ’13 and Matt Rubin ’12 also bolstered the Wooster attack with two goals apiece as well as three assists from Ranck and two from Rubin. Alex Mies ’10 led the team in helpers with four on the day.
With an eventual 19-3 victory and five-game winning streak secured, the Scots were ready to take their momentum into their Sunday afternoon match up with Colorado.
The Tigers’ potent offense was too much for Wooster, who saw its winning streak come to an end in a hard fought, but one-sided affair. After a closely contested start to the game that saw the score tied at one after the first five minutes, Colorado† went on an 11-goal run that lasted for 44 minutes.
The Scots didn’t score again until there were four minutes remaining in the game.† Despite the 12-4 final score, Wooster had their chances, taking 25 shots to Colorado’s 26.† The Scots were also 13-of-16 on face off attempts, all of which were taken by Pullara.
Wooster (7-5, 1-1) has four games remaining, three of which are against conference opponents. The rivalry game against Wittenberg University (7-2, 2-0 NCAC) takes place on April 24, as the Scots go on the road to challenge the Tigers, (7-2, 2-0).
Wittenberg is the only undefeated team remaining in the conference, after the Scots upset Denison, who many thought would run away with the conference title.
A victory against the Tigers could propel the Scots into a tie for the lead in the NCAC. After the Scots take on Wittenberg, they return home the next day for senior day and a non-conference game against Whittier College (7-5).