Scots Going After First Undefeated NCAC Regular Season Since ‘99

For The Week Of:
October 23, 2006

Written by Hugh Howard
330-263-2374
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Anlyn Addis

The College of Wooster field hockey team has already clinched at least a share of the 2006 North Coast Athletic Conference championship as well as the No. 1 seed for the NCAC tourney, and this week, the Fighting Scots can win the conference?s outright title for the first time since 2001 and polish off an unbeaten NCAC regular season for the first time since Denison University accomplished the feat in 1999. On Thursday, Oct. 26, Wooster, which is also rated No. 1 in the NCAA Div. III Great Lakes Region, hosts Oberlin College (5-10, 3-7 NCAC), currently in a tie for fifth-place, at 4:30 p.m. The two teams tousled earlier in the year (Sept. 28), with the Scots coming from behind for a 5-3 victory. Wooster then wraps up the regular season on Saturday, Oct. 28, with a match at arch-rival and second-place Wittenberg University (11-5, 9-2 NCAC) at 1 p.m. The Scots and the Tigers previously met up in Wooster Oct. 7, with the Scots posting a 5-0 whitewashing of Wittenberg.

Last Week: Wooster dropped two of three games last week, with both losses coming to challenging non-conference opponents, but still maintains a 12-5 overall record.
On Oct. 18, the Scots blistered visiting Ohio Wesleyan University 5-0. Wooster converted on one of its few first-half scoring opportunities when Anlyn Addis (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) scored off an assist from Amanda Artman (Shaker Hts., Ohio / Shaker Heights). After halftime, the Scots? offense would explode, starting when Gina Crough (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mt. Lebanon) blasted a penalty stroke past the Ohio Wesleyan goalie 4:31 into the second. It remained 2-0 until around the 10-minute mark when Katy Baron (River Forest, Ill. / Oak Park & River Forest) and Addis struck just 1:54 apart, each scoring unassisted goals. Miranda Leickly (Gahanna, Ohio / Columbus Academy) capped things off with a tally of her own with :46 remaining. Noteworthy, all four goals in the half were by seniors. The Wooster defense posted its eighth shutout this season, receiving four saves from goalie Anne Leigh (Englewood, Colo. / Cherry Creek).
On Oct. 21, Wooster traveled to No. 14 ranked Juniata College, losing a 2-1 battle. The first half was scoreless, but the Eagles capitalized on two of their three second-half shots to take control at 2-0 with 4:02 remaining. The Scots made things interesting when Artman scored off an assist from Crough at the 2:58 mark, but they couldn?t come up with the equalizer. Leigh turned away eight Juniata shots in a losing effort.
On Oct. 22, Wooster was in Washington, D.C., where Catholic University got the better of the Scots, earning a 2-0 victory. The Cardinals scored just 6:47 into the action on a corner and outshot Wooster 5-0 in the first half before tacking on an insurance goal 2:44 into the second. Defensively, Leigh recorded 11 saves for the Scots.