10-2 Second-Half Run Propels Scots to 14-10 Victory Over Capital

WOOSTER, Ohio – A 10-2 second-half run sealed a comeback win for The College of Wooster men's lacrosse, as the Fighting Scots wrapped up their pre-Spring Break schedule with a 14-10 victory over Capital University on Wednesday evening at John P. Papp Stadium.

Senior Sam Kuhn delivered a season-high five goals, including three in the first quarter, while sophomore Noah Plotkin and junior Ethan Scully each tallied three caused turnovers.

Capital (1-2) opened up to a 3-1 lead nearly five minutes into the game before a 3-0 Scots' run brought the Black & Gold up 4-3 with 2:40 remaining in the first. Kuhn opened the scoring for Wooster (3-1) at the 12:35 mark off the assist from classmate Ian Brim.

Down 3-1 with fewer than five minutes to play in the first, senior Alexander Bloom spurred Wooster's 3-0 run with his third goal of the year before Kuhn delivered the Scots' first lead with a pair of back-to-back unassisted tallies.

Just before the period's end, Capital's C.J. Hughes supplied the highlight of the day with a deft behind-the-back goal to level the score at four after 15 minutes of action.

In the second quarter, the Crusader outscored Wooster 4-0 to take an 8-4 lead at the break.

Both teams went 5-for-6 on clear opportunities while Capital held a slight 3-for-5 edge in second-quarter faceoffs. Still, a brace from Hughes and respective goals from Brennan O'Callaghan and Talbott Gottwals got the Crusaders rolling and temporarily silenced the hometown momentum.

Wooster responded quickly in the third, however, as first-year Jack Galle took advantage of a man-up opportunity for his first collegiate goal. Notably, the fresh-faced attacker went on to score his second and third collegiate goals just four and seven minutes later as part of a 5-0 Wooster run.

Bloom and sophomore Cullen Kuhn contributed to the streak, which saw the Scots retake the lead at 9-8 with 7:09 remaining in the third.

In the final 5:22 of the third, Capital's O'Callaghan sandwiched two goals around Sam Kuhn's fourth, as both teams entered the final 15 minutes tied at 10.

In the fourth, after a scoreless opening five minutes, Bloom tallied the game-winning goal off the assist from senior Desmond Hughes with 9:22 remaining. Bloom struck again less than a minute later with his fourth and final goal of the day, this time off the pass from first-year Ted Wells, which marked his first collegiate assist.

Up 12-10 with less than three minutes remaining, the Kuhn brothers sealed the victory with back-to-back unassisted goals just over a minute apart.

Sophomore goalkeeper Wesley Wagner totaled eight saves. As a team, Wooster edged the faceoff battle, 14-for-27, and proved relentless in the open field with a game-high 35 groundballs, led by a season-high five from Plotkin.

The Scots finished with 14 turnovers, including zero in the final 15 minutes, compared to 22 total for Capital.

Up next, Wooster takes on Colorado College (3-1) at Colorado Springs, Colo., as part of the Scots' five-game Spring Break slate.