Alex Hopkins

WOOSTER, Ohio – Just 43 seconds after Allegheny College tied it 2-2 late in the second half, Alex Hopkins answered for The College of Wooster and the senior defender's score held up as the Fighting Scots earned a 3-2 North Coast Athletic Conference win under the lights at John P. Papp Stadium on Wednesday.

It was a notable victory for Wooster (3-12-2, 1-6-1 NCAC), which is rebuilding under the direction of first-year head coach Andy Zidron, as the Scots broke a 17-match winless streak against conference competition dating back to Oct. 30, 2013.

Wooster had owned second-half leads against the likes of nationally-ranked NCAC foes DePauw University and Kenyon College earlier this year, but settled for a tie in the former and lost the latter. And, when the Gators' Bryce Evans volleyed in a ball during a scramble in front of the net to even the scoreboard in the 77th minute, some may have felt a similar scenario was about to play out for the Scots.

Instead moments later, Wooster's Abdoul-Ahad Sene had a point-blank shot saved by the Allegheny goalie, who then quickly threw the ball to his teammate. Hopkins stole it from behind, turned, and fired a strike from about 20 yards out inside the right post for the go-ahead goal. It marked the senior defender's third career goal and first in a season that saw him miss 10 of the first 11 games due to injury.

The Scots' defense took it from there, limiting the Gators to just three attempts the rest of the way. None of them were on target, as a deep shot sailed above the crossbar and two headers went comfortably wide.

Early on, freshman Alex Montalbano helped Wooster to a 2-0 advantage. During the 27th minute, he received a pass in the middle of the box from Sheamus Dalton and flicked the ball up toward the left post where Kieffer Hessler headed it in.

In the 35th minute, it was Montalbano using his head for a goal as he knocked in a perfectly-placed corner kick from Lucas Hunt.

Wooster took the two-goal cushion into halftime, but Allegheny scored early in the second, with a corner kick from Brenton Stoddart floating directly to the foot of Liam McNamee, who touched it in.

The Scots stayed ahead 2-1, thanks in part to a diving stop by 'keeper Scot Stacho – one of his five saves – and then they narrowly missed on a couple of golden chances to go up by two again. Sene was stoned by the Gators' goalie on his first close look of the night and a Matt Ehrenburg free kick clipped the crossbar.

Allegheny's tying goal occurred during a corner, just like its first. The kick was headed twice inside the box before Wooster could get a touch on it, as the ball eventually found its way to Evans, who netted it.

The Scots look to close out the 2015 season on another high note when they travel to rival Wittenberg University (3-12-3, 0-7-1 NCAC) Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.