NEW CONCORD, Ohio – With his second hat trick of the season, sophomore All-Ohio Athletic Conference forward Danny Ruple (Berea/Berea-Midpark) made Baldwin Wallace University men's soccer history as the Yellow Jackets earned their first OAC win of the season with a 5-1 victory over Muskingum University.
When Ruple scored his third goal of the game in the 66th minute, the sophomore tied BW's single season record for goals scored with 16 and set a new single season record for points scored with 38. Both records were set by Carlin Vandendriessche in 2011. In addition, his three goals in a span of 2:25, was the sixth fastest hattrick in NCAA all-division soccer history. Ironically, Ruple also has the ninth fastest hat-trick as well with three goals in a span of 2:39 at Bluffton earlier this fall.
Most of the game's action occurred in a five-minute span beginning in the 61st minute when senior defender David Elsen (Cleves/St. Xavier) assisted on a goal by freshman forward Michael Snowball (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel). Off of throw in by Elsen, Snowball outleaped a defender and headed the ball just over the goalies reach and into the lower right part of the goal. Elsen's assist was the first assist of the season and thrd of his career, and Snowball's goal was his sixth this season.
Snowball then flipped roles when he assisted on Ruple's first goal of the game in the 64th minute. Exactly one minute later with an assist from sophomore midfielder Joey Geither (Parma/Normandy), the sophomore then beat a defender of his own en route to his second goal of the game. Ruple capped off his hat trick in the 66th minute with an unassisted goal off a free kick, scoring all three of his goals in a span of 2:25 overall.
Muskingum (2-11-1, 0-5 OAC) evaded the shutout when Tre Boger scored an unassisted goal in the 75th minute.
Off a corner kick by freshman midfielder Bryce Posner (Aurora) in the 81st minute, senior forward Nicholas Bernard (Cleveland Heights) finished off the scoring by heading the ball into the net for his first collegiate goal and giving the freshman his second assist of the season.
BW (5-8-2, 1-3-1 OAC) outshot the Fighting Muskies 29-11 and put 16 of its shots on goal.
The Yellow Jackets will seek their second OAC win of the season when they host Heidelberg University on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. inside George Finnie Stadium.
