Wooster Drops Very Low-Scoring Affair With Whittier
5-2 loss is lowest combined scoring in a Scot game since 1998
WOOSTER, Ohio – On a rainy Easter Sunday, The College of Wooster men's lacrosse team played one of the lowest scoring games in its history while falling to Whittier College 5-2 in a non-league contest on Andrew Turf Field at John P. Papp Stadium.
The seven goals between the two teams marked the least amount of offense in a Wooster game since April 4, 1998, when the Fighting Scots dropped a 5-1 decision to Northwood University, and it tied for the fourth-fewest goals (both teams) in team history.
Ironically, three of Sunday's seven goals came within the opening five minutes. After Whittier (4-6) netted an early pair, Patrick Schlick put Wooster (4-9) on the board when he got free during an extra-man opportunity and scored. The Poets added another tally about six minutes later, and it was 3-1 after one quarter.
It looked like the second period was going to be scoreless until Whittier called a late timeout, setting up a successful scoring play to go ahead 4-1 with :36 ticks left in the half.
The Scots' offense picked up the pace early in the third quarter and converted when Matt Ranck scooped up a rebound and quickly shot it in at the 10:15 mark.
With neither offense able to strike again and the game moving into the fourth, the Poets were content to burn the clock whenever they had possession. That strategy paid off, as Wooster eventually upped the pressure and became overaggressive, resulting in a double penalty with 1:40 remaining. Whittier bled that minute off the clock, and then with the Scots' goalkeeper coming out of the net to try and induce a turnover, the visitors threw in an empty-net goal for the final margin.
Among the defensive standouts of the game were goalies Matt Magoon for Wooster and Robert Bazlen for Whittier. They each made eight saves, and also of note, defender Myles McGinnis had a fine performance with three groundballs and two caused turnovers during the setback.
The Scots will wrap up their 2011 season Saturday when they host North Coast Athletic Conference foe Kenyon College (4-8, 0-3 NCAC) at 1 p.m.