Scots Comeback Falls Short, as Denison Prevails 8-7

Steve Burton scored two goals and added an assist in the Scots' loss to Denison.

The College of Wooster scored two-straight goals 2:16 apart to pull within 8-7 at the 3:06 mark, and had possession of the ball with less than a minute to go, but Denison University held on for the victory at John P. Papp Stadium Saturday afternoon (April 3).

It was the North Coast Athletic Conference opener for the host Scots.

With about 20 seconds remaining, Wooster (3-3, 0-1 NCAC) attempted a crossing pass, however, a Denison defender intercepted it amidst a crowd of players. He then threw a long outlet pass down the left sideline, and after a timeout, the Big Red were able to run out the clock.

The Scots’ sixth and seventh goals came in similar fashion. Steve Burton and Andy Boylan each took advantage of failed clears by Denison, picking up groundballs, and then scoring unassisted at the 5:22 and 3:06 marks, respectively.

Prior to that, the Big Red appeared that they would win going away. Denison took a 7-4 lead, thanks to their second buzzer-beating goal to end the third quarter, and was ahead 8-5 before Wooster’s run.

The two teams were tied 2-2 after one quarter, but the Big Red tossed in two, including their first buzzer-beater, to the Scots’ zero in the second quarter.

Burton and Austin Taylor led Wooster with two goals apiece. Burton also had one of the Scots’ three assists for a three-point day.

Denison’s Ted Douglass had a game-high four points on three goals and an assist, while also posting multiple-point outings were Warner Siebert and Nick Woods with two goals, and one goal and one assist, respectively.

Defensively, Wooster goalie Courter Shimeall made 11 saves on 20 shots, and Tom Moriarty of the Big Red tallied seven stops on the Scots’ 25 attempts.

Wooster will try and bounce back on Tuesday (April 6), when it travels to 14th-ranked Ohio Wesleyan University (4-3, 3-0 NCAC) for another key NCAC match-up at 4 p.m.