Sydney Hanzlik

WOOSTER, Ohio – The College of Wooster played a closely-contested women's soccer match-up with Transylvania University, but the Pioneers scored early in the second half and then fended off some solid scoring opportunities down the stretch to spoil the Fighting Scots' Homecoming game 1-0 on Saturday afternoon at Carl Dale Field.

Transylvania's (4-2) Alyssa Kruse put her team in front 1-0 in the 58th minute, when she took advantage of some miscommunication on Wooster's (4-4) defensive end that allowed her to get loose in the goal box and beat the goalkeeper to the left post.

The Scots best chances to net the equalizer came late in the contest. One play saw Kennedy Payne streak past a slew of defenders up the middle of the field and blast a shot from just inside the goal box that sailed over the crossbar. Then with just a few ticks remaining on the clock, the Scots drew a foul and earned a free kick, but Lauren Hancher's boot was corralled by the 'keeper as time expired.

Goalie Sydney Hanzlik made four saves, including two hard-earned ones in the second half. The first came when she punched a shot away, but the ball ricochet off the right post, and then rolled back towards the left post, coming dangerously close to crossing the goal line, before Hanzlik dove on top of it to prevent the score. Her second one was when a Transylvania shot smashed off the crossbar above her, and then took a hard bounce off the ground back towards the goal, but Hanzlik again made an impressive save.

The Scots outshot Transylvania 14-13, and Crystal Chavez and Hancher led the way with three shots apiece.

Wooster will host John Carroll University (3-3-2) next on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.