Ruter's Heroics Give Scots 2-1 Victory Over Muskingum

Karl Ruter

WOOSTER, Ohio – Karl Ruter scored two goals, including one 2:10 into overtime, to lift The College of Wooster to a 2-1 win over Muskingum College late Wednesday afternoon during men’s soccer action at Carl Dale Memorial Field.

Early in the first extra session, Wooster (4-2) forced an indirect kick opportunity right outside the box after Muskingum (4-3) was whistled for a foul on a breakaway. Ruter blasted the ball around the Muskies’ wall and inside the left post, marking his second tally of the match and fifth of the season in as many games played.

The Fighting Scots had taken an early 1-0 lead when Ruter took advantage of a failed clear by the Muskigum defense and sent a shot in, again from just outside the box and to the left side of the goal, during the 9th minute. Wooster possessed the ball for much of the opening half, but was unable to add to its cushion, and right before the break, the Muskies had a couple of quality runs into the Scot backfield, converting on one when Paul Lafyatis found an opening for his third goal of the year.

Both squads had near-misses during the second half. In the 73rd minute, Muskingum nearly went ahead when the Wooster goalkeeper misplayed a ball at the top of the box and Lafyatis attempted to chip it over him, but Patryk Tenorio collected himself, quickly getting back to his feet for the save. The Scots’ Tim Vandervaart then had back-to-back headers off a free kick and a corner kick that nearly resulted in goals, and Ruter almost ended it during the 86th minute, but Muskie goalie Chris Limle made a diving stop to his right on a free kick.

The non-conference match was evenly played, with Wooster holding a slight edge in shots (16-12). Defensively, Limle registered eight saves, while the Scots’ Jordan O’Boyle was credited with three in the first half and Tenorio just had the one over the final 47:10.

Wooster, which lost its first two but now has won four in a row, will look to extend its winning streak Saturday when the Scots open North Coast Athletic Conference play at Wabash College (2-6, 0-1 NCAC). Match time is slated for 11 a.m.