Aleksi Pelkonen

The College of Wooster men's soccer team was briefly level with North Coast Athletic Conference power Kenyon College 1-1, but a three-goal barrage by the Lords over a 1:45 span in the first half propelled them to a 5-1 win on Saturday afternoon at Mavec Field in Gambier, Ohio.

Kenyon (9-2, 2-1-0 NCAC), ranked fifth in this week's National Soccer Coaches of America Great Lakes Region top-10, struck first in the 19th minute when Tony Amolo put away a loose ball on a deflected cross into the top right quadrant of the goal.

Wooster (4-7-1, 1-2-0 NCAC) answered right back on a similarly-looking play when senior Aleksi Pelkonen scored his second goal of the year off of a cross deflected by the Kenyon 'keeper, that was knocked in during the 21st minute.

Kenyon clicked offensively with three goals between the 37th and 39th minutes, including one that came via a penalty kick. The Lords added an insurance goal in the second half.

Both teams had big chances to pull ahead prior to the 37th minute.  Kenyon had three shots blocked by Wooster's backline, and junior Scot Stacho recorded two of his three saves on the afternoon while the score was tied at one. On the other end, Wooster had a prime opportunity when a shot by Max Rochester was deflected out of bounds and the Scots were awarded a corner kick on the play.

Wooster was outshot on the afternoon 32-6.

Stacho and freshman Will Collis finished with three saves each on the afternoon.

Next, Wooster returns home to take on Ohio Wesleyan University (5-2-3, 0-0-2 NCAC) at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11.