Tigers Fall in Upset With Wooster

The Tigers held their destiny in their own hands, but they were unable to lock up an outright NCAC championship, falling 3-0 to red-hot Wooster - winner of seven straight - in a conference match on Sunday.

The loss dropped the Tigers a half-game behind defending conference champion Denison going into Wednesday night's match against Ohio Wesleyan at Edwards-Maurer Field. The event, scheduled for 5 p.m., will pick up where the Oct. 4 contest left off, with Wittenberg ahead 1-0 at halftime. A win makes the Tigers co-champions of the NCAC for the 2000 campaign.

Last week, Wittenberg was busy, starting off with a trip to Philadelphia. On Oct. 22, the Tigers defeated Neumann College, 2-1, on goals by seniors Kelly McMullen (East Amherst, NY/The Nichols School) and Kacy Heinmiller (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley). Junior goalkeeper Georgina Klinzing (Gasport, NY/Royalton Hartland) stopped eight shots to preserve the win.

On Monday, the Tigers dropped a 3-2 decision to Gwynedd Mercy. McMullen and Heinmiller again had the goals, and Wittenberg outshot its hosts, but Gwynedd Mercy still got the best of things.

Back in conference action on Saturday, the Tigers fell behind 1-0 at Ohio Wesleyan with about 14 minutes remaining in the first half. But showing the mettle of the ranked team it is, Wittenberg rallied behind a pair of freshmen. Katie Babcock (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) and Barb Keselman (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron) scored the tying and winning goals just before halftime, and the Tigers hung on from there to claim the victory.

On Sunday, the Tigers didn't have the answers. Wooster, which had dropped a 4-1 decision at Edwards-Maurer Field earlier this year, took command early and, despite being outshot 17-16, cruised home with the win to lock up third place in the NCAC behind Denison and Wittenberg.