Scots at W&J Before 2008 Home Finale on Saturday Afternoon

The College of Wooster, with hopes of an at-large bid into the NCAA Div. III Tournament, has five regular season games remaining, two of which will be played this week. First, the Fighting Scots are slated for a night game at Washington & Jefferson College (3-7) Wednesday, April 16. The non-league foes have played five of the last six years, with Wooster winning each time, including a 12-3 decision last spring. Opening face-off is slated for 7 p.m. On Saturday, April 19, the Scots will welcome winless North Coast Athletic Conference opponent Oberlin College (0-6, 0-3 NCAC) to John P. Papp Stadium at 3:30 p.m. It will mark the final home game for nine Wooster seniors. The Scots cruised past Oberlin 18-5 last season, increasing their win streak over the Yeomen to 14.

Last Week: Wooster split two closely-contested games, which moved its records to 7-2 overall and 0-2 in the NCAC.

On April 9, the Scots pulled to within a three-goal margin twice during the fourth quarter after previously falling behind 9-3, but could not get any closer as Ohio Wesleyan University secured an 11-7 victory in a key NCAC match-up at Delaware, Ohio. Mark Weschler (Silver Spring, Md. / Our Lady of Good Counsel) netted a man-up goal just seconds into the fourth and Pat Coyne (Chatham, N.J. / Chatham) added a score just about a minute later to bring Wooster within striking distance at 9-6 with 13:39 in regulation. Ohio Wesleyan then ended what was actually a three-goal run, dating back to the third quarter, by the Scots to push the margin back to four. Coyne scored at the 3:54 mark, giving Wooster hope again as that made it a 10-7 game, however, the Battling Bishops answered with one of their own to seal the win. Ohio Wesleyan never trailed, holding leads of 3-2 and 6-3 at the conclusion of the first two quarters, and its three goals to start the third quarter made it a six-goal margin before the Scots made their charge. For Wooster, Coyne, Chris Gatsch (Princeton, N.J. / Blair Academy), and Weschler each had two goals. Gatsch contributed two assists for a four-point game. Defensively, Matt Biester (Wallingford, Pa. / Strath Haven) was credited with 12 saves in the setback.

On April 13, Tim Lee (Orion, Mich. / Detroit Jesuit) scored with 3:30 remaining to break an 11-11 tie and the Scots’ defensive unit prevented visiting Colorado College from getting any quality shots the rest of the way, as Wooster secured a thrilling 12-11 non-conference victory. The Scots never trailed, even leading 8-3 at one point, but the Tigers came all the way back, tying it twice, with the last coming at the 7:38 mark of the fourth quarter. Lee’s game-winner would come almost exactly four minutes later, as he made amends for a penalty earlier in the fourth, which led to a Colorado College score. The goal by Lee also came on a man-up opportunity, converting on an opening on the right side after receiving a pass from Alex Mies (Birmingham, Mich. / Cranbrook Kingswood School). It was all Scots early, as they had constructed a 7-2 cushion early in the second quarter, behind three goals from Weschler. After the Tigers finally stopped a four-goal Wooster run with one of their own, Weschler then assisted on a Conor Hannan (Wiscasset, Maine / North Yarmouth Academy) score, making it an 8-3 game. Colorado College crept back into it, knotting the game 9-9 and 11-11. Weschler led the way with a five-point day (4 goals, 1 assist) and Mies played an integral role with one goal and three assists. Coyne added two goals and Lee had an early assist as Wooster’s other multiple scorers. Biester made 11 saves to help preserve the win.