Andrew Bell
Staff Writer
The Fighting Scots scored a major victory against the DePauw University Tigers last weekend, dominating the match 3-1. Josie Bencic ’28 registered 2 goals on the day. Annie Henegar ’28 added to the total with a goal of her own in the second half. Wooster progressed to a 2-2 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) record as they continued their remarkable season.
Wooster applied early pressure to the Tigers, registering the first scoring attempts within the early minutes of the contest. A corner kick allowed the Scots to have the first try on the net as Bencic’s boot narrowly missed the goal. Henegar also applied early pressure, recording the first shot on goal for the Black and Gold.
DePauw momentarily recovered from Wooster’s fast-paced start, controlling possession and maintaining control in Wooster’s half. However, the Tigers’ control was stripped from them in the 28th minute, as Kelsey Maley ’26 stole the ball from DePauw’s attacking players. Maley’s tackle allowed Henegar to collect the ball and forward a pass to Julia Struck ’26. After making a few strides into DePauw territory, Struck played it back to Henegar who then lobbed a through ball to Bencic. Bencic fought off her defender and scored a tricky goal through her defender’s contact and the keeper’s gloves.
Despite taking the lead, the Scots continued to apply pressure through the rest of the half. Caitlin Martin ’28 and Mia Stoller ’27 kept the Tiger’s goalkeeper busy, registering 2 more shots for the Scots. Wooster’s defense was grounded in the back field, keeping DePauw off the board for the rest of the first half. At the end of the half, Wooster led 1-0.
A determined DePauw squad emerged from the break following their sluggish start, as they equalized with Wooster early in the second half. The Tigers were awarded 3 corners between the 50th minute and the 57th minute. Wooster staved off 2 of the corner attacks, but the third corner resulted in a DePauw goal, tying the score.
It took only 5 minutes for the Scots to retake the lead as Henegar netted another shot. Bencic began the attack after gaining control of a Maley throw in. Bencic proceeded to outrun defenders before dishing the ball to a sprinting Henegar. Henegar managed to make enough contact with the ball to usurp DePauw’s oncoming keeper as the ball slowly rolled past the goal line; Wooster – 2, DePauw – 1.
After a short defensive battle, the Scots secured their victory with a late Bencic goal in the 88th minute of action. Maley led Wooster’s scoring attempt, keeping the ball from an aggressive defender while staying inbounds. A wide-open Bella Crompton ’27 received a Maley pass after she found a gap in the Tigers’ defense. Crompton rushed towards the goal before passing the ball wide to Bencic. Bencic gathered the pass and found a gap in the middle of the box. Bencic’s shot screamed into the goal, asserting victory for the Scots. After 90 minutes, the Fighting Scots left Greencastle, Indiana with the win; Wooster – 3, DePauw – 1.
Wooster’s victory over DePauw places the Scots in 5th place for the NCAC standings. The Scots must finish in at least 4th place to earn a trip to the NCAC Championship Tournament. However, the Scots still control their own destiny to earn a bid into the conference tournament. Defeating DePauw was a major step in accomplishing Wooster’s postseason aspirations, as the Tigers rank above the Scots in the NCAC standings. Henegar reflected on Wooster’s NCAC situation, “We had a slow start to conference, but the wins against Wittenberg and DePauw raised our spirits and hopes for a NCAC run.” Wooster must win against rivals Oberlin and Ohio Wesleyan to qualify for the post season. “We have a good chance to win our next two games,” asserted Henegar. “We need to keep playing together and finish [the season] strong.”
The Fighting Scots face Ohio Wesleyan in their next home game at Carl Dale Field on Saturday, November 1 at 1:00 pm.