Kennedy Payne

WOOSTER, Ohio – Kennedy Payne's goal and another fine performance by the defense lifted The College of Wooster to a 1-0 victory over Allegheny College at Carl Dale Field, and the race for the four spots into the North Coast Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Tournament tightened further on Tuesday.

Now with 12 points in the league standings heading into its regular season finale Saturday, Wooster (11-5-2, 4-3-0 NCAC) is one of three teams vying for the two remaining spots in the tourney. DePauw University (18 points) and Denison University (15 points) have already clinched, and both Kenyon College and Wittenberg University are a single point ahead of the Fighting Scots.

While a number of scenarios could unfold, Wooster most likely needs to beat Wittenberg in the rivals' finale to earn a spot in the field.

Against Allegheny (4-11-2, 2-3-2 NCAC), the Scots controlled the majority of the action as they finished with a 12-4 shot advantage. Payne provided the home team an early spark, as she dribbled the ball into the box, around a defender, and shot it past the 'keeper's outstretched arms into the lower left of the net during the ninth minute. It marked Payne's 10th career goal and third this year.

Payne nearly helped make it 2-0 moments later. She threaded a pass to Harper Jones streaking down the right side, but the first-year forward's shot slid inches wide left.

Carly Joliat almost scored as well, placing a long shot to the upper left corner of the goal, where Gator goalie Christina Gallagher got just enough of her hand on the ball to punch it up off the crossbar and come down with the save.

Wooster didn't need an insurance goal, though, as the starting back line of Rachael Davis, Joliat, Emma Lawrence, and Erin O'Connor plus defensive-oriented midfielders Kelsey Clark and Lauren Hancher limited the Gators to just the four attempts. Three were on goal, with the most challenging stop for Carly Eppler being a header off a corner kick in the 71st minute.

The shutout was Eppler's ninth and the team's 13th this season.

The Wittenberg-Wooster game will take place on Halloween in Springfield, Ohio, starting at 5 p.m.