WOOSTER, Ohio – Senior three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference and two-time Academic All-American forward Danny Ruple (Berea/Berea-Midpark) made history this afternoon on Carl Dale Field, when the Baldwin Wallace University men's soccer team defeated The College of Wooster in a non-conference matchup by a final score of 2-0.
Ruple came into today's contest needing just one goal to break the BW (3-2) all-time goal-scoring record. At the 81st minute of the game, he sped down the left wing and buried a far-side shot in the back of the net, writing his name in the history books. With that goal, Ruple broke Carlin Vandendriessche's (2008-2011) record with his 47th career goal as a member of the Yellow Jackets men's soccer program. He is now in sole possession of four program offensive records which include career points (118), single-season points (45, 2017), single-season goals (19, 2017), as well as his latest accomplishment. Furthermore, Ruple is only four assists removed from hitting the trifecta on all three major offensive statistical categories for his career.
BW's win over Wooster (1-4) marks their third consecutive victory against the Fighting Scots in as many years.
The Yellow Jackets wasted no time getting on the scoreboard to start the game. It took a mere two minutes from kickoff for senior forward Joey Geither (Parma/Normandy) to net his first goal of the season on a header from a lengthy throw-in by freshman defender Zach Hoover (Chagrin Falls). BW played tremendous defense in the first half, getting in the way of most shot attempts or by forcing inaccurate ones. Wooster was limited to just one shot on goal for the entire first frame, as the score remained 1-0 headed to break.
The Fighting Scots came out firing in the second half as they launched two hard shots in the opening four minutes that missed just over the crossbar. Senior goalkeeper Patrick Mehal (Richfield/Revere) also played an integral role of preserving BW's one-goal lead. First, in the 65th minute, he made a beautiful diving stop on a clean breakaway opportunity for Wooster. Roughly eight minutes later, he made a leaping save off a header that seemed destined for an opposition goal. In the 81st minute, Yellow Jackets sophomore midfielder Dylan Keeling (Rocky River) sprung Ruple loose with a nice pass along the left wing and Ruple scored his record-breaking goal to put BW up 2-0 and seal the game.
Mehal's stellar performance improved his record to 3-2 on the season. He stopped all five shots he faced on route to earning his eighth career shutout.
The Yellow Jackets return to the pitch for the 50th Anniversary Game on Saturday, September 14th, when they take on the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford (Pa.) on Tressel Field at 2:00 p.m.
