WOOSTER, Ohio – Wednesday night may have been the 2014 home debut for The College of Wooster men's soccer team, but there was some familiar late magic for the Fighting Scots at John P. Papp Stadium as Lucas Hunt's sliding goal with less than five minutes remaining held up as the game-winner in a 2-1 win over Bluffton University.
Of the nine men's soccer matches that have now been played on Andrew Turf Field at Papp Stadium, Wooster has scored either a go-ahead or tying goal during the final five minutes of regulation or in overtime six times.
With Wednesday's affair knotted at one deep into the second half, Wooster (2-1) made a series of pushes into Bluffton's (0-3) defensive half and one paid off when Marco Sapien, positioned at the top of the goal box, crossed a ball left to a streaking Hunt, who found a narrow opening past the 'keeper. It marked the second collegiate goal for the junior all-conference standout who has previously played more of a defensive role.
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| Lucas Hunt delivered the game-winner during Wednesday's 86th minute. |
The Beavers did make things interesting late, as a corner kick with about a minute to go resulted in a scramble in front of the Scots' goal and an eventual shot went high over the crossbar.
Earlier in the half, sophomore Matt Parmelee scored his second career goal on a nice individual play, as he outran multiple defenders in tracking down a through ball, then slipped past the charging 'keeper for the tying score.
Bluffton's goal came as the result of a penalty kick in the game's 15th minute.
Recording his first career win as a goalkeeper was senior Zach Jergan, a former field player who made five saves on the night.
Wooster will play the second game of its four-game homestand on Saturday at 1 p.m., when it welcomes Earlham College (0-2-1).