Scots’ Home Opener Against Denison This Sunday a Pivotal Game

Carrying a perfect 5-0 record and in the “others receiving votes” category of the latest United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association NCAA Div. III top-20 poll, The College of Wooster is set for its home opener this Sunday, March 30. Adding to the excitement, the game will likely have North Coast Athletic Conference title implications as No. 18 ranked Denison University (3-2, 0-0 NCAC) visits the Fighting Scots’ John P. Papp Stadium for a 1 p.m. opening face-off. Wooster has not beaten Denison since 1991 (12-9), however, several recent meetings have been close, with the Big Red winning 8-7 in 2004, 9-4 in 2005, and 8-7 in 2006 before a surprising 18-5 rout last spring.

Spring Break Recap: The Scots won three of their five scheduled games over spring break and the other two were cancelled/postponed due to inclement weather.

On March 9, senior midfielder Cole Simmons (Calabasas, Calif. / Chaminade College Prep) scored what proved to be the game-winning goal with 3:29 left in the fourth quarter while leading Wooster to a 7-6 victory over traditional power Widener University in Chester, Pa. Widener has made the NCAA Div. III Tournament the last three seasons. The closely-contested, low-scoring affair was tied four times, including 6-6 at the 5:17 mark of the fourth quarter. Shortly thereafter, Simmons came through with his third goal of the game, assisted by sophomore midfielder Pat Coyne (Chatham, N.J. / Chatham). In addition to his hat trick, Simmons contributed an assist for a four-point game, while junior midfielder Chris Gatsch (Princeton, N.J. / Blair Academy) scored two goals and assisted on another score. Also noteworthy, junior attacker Mark Weschler (Silver Spring, Md. / Our Lady of Good Counsel) had a one-goal, one-assist effort, Coyne totaled two assists, and senior goalkeeper Matt Biester (Wallingford, Pa. / Strath Haven) was credited with nine saves, compared to five goals against, during 59:30 of action.

On March 12, senior attacker Conor Hannan (Wiscasset, Maine / North Yarmouth Academy) scored a goal just 11 seconds into overtime, giving the Scots a 7-6 win at Goucher College. Goucher came back from a 4-1 deficit early in the second quarter and eventually tied it 6-6 with just 1:35 remaining in regulation. In the extra session, the Gophers controlled the face-off, but then freshman midfielder Matt Pullara (Centennial, Colo. / Arapahoe) slapped the ball away, picked up the groundball, and found Hannan for the game-winning goal. Hannan led Wooster with two goals, while sophomore attacker Alex Mies (Birmingham, Mich. / Cranbrook Kingswood School) added one goal and one assist. Defensively, Biester made a season-high 15 saves.

On March 15, the Scots were too much for Neumann College, blitzing the host Knights 20-3. The contest was never in doubt, with Wooster scoring six times in the first quarter, four in the second, six more in the third, and two more goals in the fourth quarter for an 18-0 lead before Neumann finally cracked the scoreboard. The Scots were balanced offensively, paced by freshman attacker Mike Duffy’s (Louisville, Ky. / Trinity) four goals and Gatsch’s three. In addition, Coyne, Hannan, Mies, and Weschler each recorded two goals and one assist on the day.