Kenyon Shocks Wooster in NCAC Tourney Again

Brittany Montgomery attempts to make a push up the field late during Wednesday's game.

WOOSTER, Ohio – Wednesday was Halloween and for The College of Wooster field hockey team, it was an eerily similar result, as the Fighting Scots were knocked out of the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament on their home field for the second year in a row by Kenyon College, this time in the semis by a 1-0 count.

Wooster, which suffered a 2-1 setback to Kenyon in last season’s NCAC tourney championship game, controlled most of Wednesday’s first-half action. The Scots penetrated into the Ladies’ backfield time and time again, but had trouble getting shots off. Wooster wound up sending four attempts to the cage, with three being saved by Karen Thompson and one going wide. Kenyon had just one shot in the opening half.

The Ladies (10-11) turned things around early in the second half, forcing a series of penalty corners. Kenyon converted one of those opportunities, when Sasha Grumman received the ball at the top of the circle and made a quick pass to her right to Holly Bacon, who calmly avoided one defender and blasted the ball from just inside the circle through the defense into the left side of the cage at the 26:50 mark.

Just over two minutes later, the Ladies nearly made it 2-0 on a similar penalty corner attempt, however, Scot goalie Izzy Maffetone was there for a tough save.

Wooster’s offense would make a series of runs into the circle during the waning moments, but like in the first half, Kenyon’s defenders continually prevented the Scots from getting quality looks.

Wooster ends the 2007 season with an 11-7 record, an impressive feat following a 1-4 start and a season-ending injury to All-American forward Amanda Artman in the second game. Wednesday marked the final game for two Scot seniors, Piper Annese and Kate Persing, a defensive standout throughout her career.