Scots Win NCAC Opener 9-3, Behind Big Third Quarter

Shawn Handy kickstarted Wooster's second-half run with a goal just 54 seconds into the third quarter.

The College of Wooster scored on four of its eight shots in the third quarter, turning a 3-1 halftime lead into a comfortable 7-2 advantage entering the fourth, and the Fighting Scots went on to a 9-3 victory over Wittenberg University in their 2005 North Coast Athletic Conference opener at a sunny John P. Papp Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Wooster (3-4, 1-0 NCAC), which held a 21-7 shot advantage after the first half, scored just 54 seconds into the third, when Shawn Handy converted on a feed from Ben Abbott. Handy was the assist-man on the next goal by Hisham Hassan just over four minutes later.

Wittenberg (1-7, 0-2 NCAC) briefly interrupted the run on a Trevor Carlson goal halfway through the period only to see the Scots score four-straight – two during the final 3:22 of the third and two during the opening 4:07 of the fourth.

Hassan, who was the scorer of Wooster’s two fourth-quarter goals, recorded his third career hat trick, and second this season, while Handy had a four-point afternoon with two goals and two assists. Rounding out the Scots’ goal scorers were Austin Taylor, Andy Boylan, Conor Hannan, and Eric McKinney, while Abbott accounted for two of the Scots’ five assists.

The Tigers’ top scorer was Adam Morrison with one goal and one helper.

The Wooster defense held Wittenberg to 21 shots and twice held the Tigers without a goal during double penalties. Tending the net as usual for the Scots was Courter Shimeall, who made nine saves, while his counterpart, Kevin Adams, had 13.

Next for the Scots will be a trip to Denison University on Wednesday night for a key NCAC match-up. Opening face-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.