Wooster to Finish Non-League Play Before Hosting Earlham

For The Week Of:
January 21, 2008

Written by Dain McKee
330-287-3000 ext. 4671
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Hannah Kerkian-Winton

The College of Wooster, which ended a four-game slide in its last outing, will take a dip into non-league play this week before returning to its regular North Coast Athletic Conference schedule. On Wednesday night, Jan. 23, Wooster will be at Bluffton College (6-10), currently on a six-game losing skid, for a 7:30 p.m. match-up, capping the Fighting Scots’ non-conference slate for the year. The two teams have evenly split 10 previous meetings, but haven’t played since the 1996-97 season – an 81-74 triumph for the Beavers. Wooster then hosts last-place Earlham College (2-13, 1-6 NCAC) this Saturday, Jan. 26, at 3 p.m., or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the Earlham-Wooster men’s game. The Scots have swept the season series from the Quakers the last three years, including 56-54 (at home) and 71-59 (on the road) during 2006-07, for a six-game winning streak, and lead the all-time series 26-13.

Last Week: Wooster went 1-1 while playing a pair of NCAC games, winning the latter to improve to 5-9 overall and move into fifth-place in the conference (2-4).

On Jan. 16, the Scots played one of the NCAC favorites, Denison University, close for most of the first half, but the Big Red then gained the momentum and carried it through the second half to an 82-55 victory. Wooster was within 28-26 at the three-minute mark of the opening half before Denison closed on an 11-1 run (39-27). In the second, the Big Red steadily expanded their lead into the 20s, eventually securing a final margin of 27. Individually, Kaitlin Krister (Kent, Ohio / Walsh Jesuit) and Kym Wenz (Avon Lake, Ohio / Avon Lake) led the way for the Scots as usual, each tallying 14 points and six rebounds. On defense, Krister came up with three blocked shots and Wenz produced six steals. Also of note, Meredith Wilson (Washington Ct. House, Ohio / Miami Trace) made 4-of-9 3-pointers for a 12-point night.

On Jan. 19, Wooster closed its NCAC game at Hiram College with nine unanswered points to earn a 66-63 decision over the Terriers. Down by eight at the break (33-25) and as much as 10 during the second half (35-25), the Scots stormed back to take their first lead of the game at 55-54 with 5:00 remaining. Hiram pulled in front by six on two occasions (61-55, 63-57), but Wilson, sophomore Kelly Aughenbaugh (Wooster, Ohio / Wooster), and freshman Meghan Maines (Mendon, Mass. / Nipmuc Regional) combined to lead Wooster to a stirring comeback. Maines hit a jumper, followed by 1-of-2 free throws for Aughenbaugh, and another 1-of-2 trip to the stripe, this time by Maines, which pulled the Scots within 63-61 at the one-minute mark. Aughenbaugh would come up with back-to-back steals on the next two Terrier possessions, the second one leading to Wilson’s sixth 3-pointer of the game, which gave Wooster a one-point lead (64-63), and the Scots’ defense made it hold up. Wilson’s heroics were part of a game-high 24 points (6-of-12 3-point shooting), equaling her career high from five games ago (Dec. 30), and Maines added career highs in both scoring (16) and assists (5). Fellow freshman Hannah Kerkian-Winton (Wadsworth, Ohio / Highland) also played her best game to date, registering eight rebounds and five blocked shots to lead all players in those categories.