Wooster Falls in Six-Overtime Thriller, 10-9 to OWU

WOOSTER, Ohio – Ohio Wesleyan University's Pat Bassett got free just long enough to find a rare opening in The College of Wooster defensive backfield and scored with 1:02 remaining in the sixth overtime for a 10-9 win in perhaps the longest game in NCAA Div. III men's lacrosse history, played Saturday afternoon on Andrew Turf Field at John P. Papp Stadium.

There is no listing for longest game in the NCAA lacrosse record book, however, research revealed that the University of Maryland and University of Virginia battled into a seventh overtime in a Div. I meeting in 2009 as did a pair of Div. II schools (Pfeiffer University and Queens University of Charlotte) earlier this spring, but no mention of any Div. III games lasting as long.

After Wooster's 11th and 12th shots of the overtimes were both saved by Stephen Ford, Ohio Wesleyan successfully brought the ball into the Scots' end. Colin Short had possession behind the net and threw it over to Bassett on the right side, who got a step on his defender, then moved towards the center and went low with the game-winner. That was the only time the Battling Bishops led all day.

Wooster (3-7, 0-2 NCAC) built a three-goal cushion three times, including 9-6 with 6:19 to play in regulation. Shortly after the ensuing face-off, Ohio Wesleyan (6-3, 2-1 NCAC) scored an extra-man goal, the first of a personal three-score run by A.J. Pellis during a 2:23 stretch.

Both teams had chances the final 3:28 of regulation, none better than when the Scots were awarded an extra-man opportunity, starting at the :46 mark. Joe Suliman attempted to notch his second game-winner of the week, but his shot went wide, and right before the buzzer, Matt Pullara put one on goal that was saved.

Wooster had the advantage during the first overtime, as the ball was in the Bishops' backfield the last three minutes due in part to a couple of failed clears by the visitors. The Scots took two shots to no avail.

In the second, an apparent Ohio Wesleyan goal was waved off due to a player being inside the goal crease. Later, a Bishops' attacker had a point-blank opportunity, but was unable to shoot the ball out of his stick and wound up turning it over instead. With the clock winding down, Ohio Wesleyan took an outside shot that was saved by Magoon.

Magoon made three saves in the third overtime alone to extend the game, and in the fourth, Ford made maybe his best stop of the day on Jake Bernard, who tried to go low with a close shot from the left side. During the fifth, Wooster nearly ended it, but a Nathan Pagniano shot was denied by the post.

The Scots had controlled most of the first half action in constructing a 4-1 lead at the break. They outshot the Bishops 15-9 the opening 30 minutes, including a couple of Matt Rubin goals.

Ohio Wesleyan responded with the first two goals of the third to pull within one, but Wooster settled down and scored two of the last three of the quarter to go into the fourth ahead 6-4.

The Bishops made it 6-5, but then the Scots went on a 3-1 run, keyed by a pair of Mike Lloret goals to gain their final three-goal advantage at the 6:19 mark.

On the day, Wooster displayed a balanced attack with two goals apiece from Lloret, Rubin, Suliman, and Patrick Schlick. Magoon, a freshman making just his third collegiate start, tallied 16 saves.

Pellis led all scorers with five goals and he also distributed an assist, while Short had three helpers for Ohio Wesleyan. Ford was credited with 11 saves.

The Scots will try to shake off the heartbreaking loss when they travel to Oberlin College (2-7, 0-3 NCAC) Wednesday night.