NCAC Tournament Preview: Women’s Soccer

NCAC Tournament Page

Tournament outlook: The College of Wooster women's soccer team (11-3-3, 4-2-1 NCAC) earned the No. 3 seed in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament and will open play in the semifinal at No. 2 seed DePauw University (10-5-3, 4-1-2 NCAC) at 7 p.m. Wednesday. On the opposite side of the four-team bracket, No. 1 seed Denison University (10-4-3, 5-1-1 NCAC) hosts No. 4 seed Wittenberg University (5-5-5, 3-2-2 NCAC).

Media coverage: Fans can follow Wooster's tournament run through the available live stream and stats pages. Fans can also follow the women's soccer team's social media pages. 

Season outlook: This season, Wooster played to an 11-3-3 overall record and 4-2-1 record in NCAC play. Wooster wrapped up its non-conference schedule with some momentum, going 5-0-1 in its final six games. When conference play started, the Scots got a win over Kenyon but then dropped two straight to Wittenberg University and Oberlin College. Since, Wooster has gone 3-0-1, including a 2-0 mark against the tournament teams of Denison and DePauw. Wittenberg and Oberlin were still alive in the last week of the season, but Wooster's win in its home finale sealed their No. 3 seeded position.

About the last meeting: Wooster and DePauw met in the regular season finale at Carl Dale Field where Wooster left with 1-0 victory. Sophomore Abby Henegar scored the game winner in the 43rd minute as Wooster put forth a dominating performance, outshooting DePauw 22-11. Junior keeper Kameryn Nelsonrecorded five saves in the shutout as well.

Who is DePauw?: DePauw was settled in first place for the a majority of the season until Saturday's setback against the Fighting Scots, which was their only loss in conference play this season. DePauw collected two ties, a 1-1 result versus Oberlin and a 0-0 result versus Denison. Offensively, they are led by the duo of Katharine Lacy (6G, 1A) and Sophia Patrey (4G, 2A). They also found their goalkeeper in Aubree Empie who has an 8-1-2 record this year.

Statistically speaking: Wooster is second in the league behind DePauw in goals scored (30) and third in goals against (15). They also lead the NCAC in penalty kick scores at a perfect 3-for-3 rate. Individually, Annie Henegar's eight goals is second in the conference, while Hallie Krzys's seven assists leads all. Henegar is second in the conference with 18 points, while Krzys is right behind at 17. Another name, Alyssa Lubba, is tied for the conference lead with four game-winning goals.

A perfect blend: Wooster has benefited offensively from several newcomers including the senior Lubba (4G, 1A), sisters Annie (8G, 2A) and Abby (2G, 2A) and Emma Fischer (2G, 0A). The sophomores have seen continued development especially in the likes of Bella Crompton (3G, 1A) and Mia Stoller (0G, 1A), while the junior class is led by Nelson in goal, Kelsey Maley on defense and Julia Struck (0G, 2A) on offense. That all compliments the senior class featuring the likes of Maggie Stieby (0G, 1A), Lily Glaza (1G, 1A) and Hallie Krzys (5G, 7A). Krzys is wrapping up a career at Wooster where she has tallied 70 points with 26 goals and 18 assists. In the record book, her 70 points and 26 goals are tied for seventh in program history, while her 18 assists puts her in a tie for sixth.

Tournament history: Wooster makes their 12th appearance in the NCAC Tournament and returns for the first time since 2021. They were the No. 3 seed in 2021 as well, where they advanced in penalty kicks (10-9) over Kenyon College before falling to Wittenberg 3-2 in the championship. Wooster has faced DePauw just once in the NCAC Tournament. That occurred back in 2019 when they defeated the Tigers in Greencastle with a late goal in double overtime to win the tournament. Overall, Wooster is 5-6-6 in tournament matches, including a 3-3-5 mark in the semifinals and a 2-3-1 record in championship games. Wooster will look for its third title, while Denison will look to win its third consecutive.

Ticket information: For the semifinals and championship match, ticket price is $7 for adults and $3 for children and those 18 and under. NCAC students with a valid institution ID will be admitted free of charge.