Rakoci Tallies Impressive Brace to Help Scots Stay in Tournament Contention

Miura Wiley
Krenare Rakoci

WOOSTER, Ohio – Sophomore Krenare Rakoci scored twice in a 2-0 victory over third-place Allegheny College to overstep the Gators and grant The College of Wooster women's soccer team second-place positioning in the Fighting Scots' regular-season finale on Tuesday afternoon at Carl Dale Memorial Field.

Wooster (7-7-3, 4-3-1 North Coast Athletic Conference), the recipient of this week's bye, now awaits tonight's results, particularly fourth-place Wittenberg University (4-6-3, 3-3-0 NCAC) at Ohio Wesleyan University (7-6-2, 2-3-1 NCAC) and Hiram College (3-11-1, 1-5-0 NCAC) at sixth-place Denison University (6-5-4, 2-2-2 NCAC), for a better picture of how this Saturday's results need to turn out in favor of the Scots. With the victory, Wooster (13 points) stands four points ahead of Wittenberg and five points ahead of Denison.

Against Allegheny (7-9-0, 4-3-0 NCAC), the Scots did not allow a single shot all game, dominating play in the midfield and resultantly creating plenty of opportunities on the offensive end.

Junior Devin Frisby led all players with four shots while Frisby, Rakoci and sophomore Krissy Blanchard each tallied two shots on goal.

Rakoci's game-winner came 17 minutes in, as sophomore Claire Davis led first-year Miura Wiley with a pass down the right flank. Wiley took a touch inside and nearly scored herself, but Maya Hackman's save trickled behind her and towards the goal line as Rakoci followed up for the close-range finish.

That play accounted for two of Wooster's four first-half shots.

The final 45 minutes witnessed a much more intensive Scots squad, with 10 shots fired including seven on target.

Blanchard nearly made it a 2-0 advantage in the 57th minute with a driven shot low and to the left before Hackman's diving stretch denied the opportunity.

Fourteen minutes later, Rakoci doubled the advantage and her season goal count with her fourth of the season on an unassisted tally. Recognizing an open space from 25 yards out, the sophomore cut in from the left and launched a right-footed shot over the 'keeper for the insurance goal.

With Wittenberg and Denison slated for 7 p.m. matches on Tuesday night. Wooster's NCAC Tournament fate will be determined by the end of Saturday, when the Tigers and the Big Red swap respective Tuesday opponents and Allegheny takes on league-leading Kenyon College (7-6-2, 5-0-1 NCAC), who is unbeaten in conference play.