Up and Down Week Sends The Tigers into the NCAC Tournament

The Tiger field hockey team had an up-and-down week but remains very much on the upside as the regular season winds to a close tonight at Edwards-Maurer Field. On Tuesday, Wittenberg clinched a share of the North Coast Athletic Conference regular season championship by defeating Ohio Wesleyan 6-1 on Senior Recognition Night at Edwards-Maurer Field.

October 29, 2002

The Tiger field hockey team had an up-and-down week but remains very much on the upside as the regular season winds to a close tonight at Edwards-Maurer Field. On Tuesday, Wittenberg clinched a share of the North Coast Athletic Conference regular season championship by defeating Ohio Wesleyan 6-1 on Senior Recognition Night at Edwards-Maurer Field.

With the win, the Tigers' four seniors - Rebecca Russ (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart), Heather House (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood), Emily Duh (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley) and Jill Hobelman (St. Louis, Mo./Villa Duchesne) - capped their careers in remarkable style. The quartet has been part of a 53-22 overall record since 1999, including a mark of 36-12 in the NCAC and a 25-6 home record. The squad is perfect at home in 2002, heading into the NCAC tournament, which will start with a home semifinal game against Oberlin on Saturday.

Against OWU, the Tigers rallied from an early 1-0 deficit behind Duh's phenomenal offensive work. For the second time this season, Duh scored four goals against the Battling Bishops, running her season totals to 22 goals and 51 points, both of which rank third in school history. For her career, Duh has 95 points (third in school history), 38 goals (tied for third), 19 assists (third), 73 games played (tied for seventh) and 385 shots (second).

Last week, the Tigers took a trip east and ended up 1-1 against perennial powerhouse programs Juniata and Lebanon Valley. Against Juniata on Sunday, Oct. 20, Wittenberg absorbed a 2-0 defeat despite another sterling performance by goaltender Jen Meyer (Solon, Ohio/Hathaway Brown). But the Tigers turned the tables on Tuesday, Oct. 22, capturing a 2-1 decision against nationally ranked Lebanon Valley. Wittenberg received goals from Duh and freshman Emma Rufleth (Clinton, Conn./The Morgan School), while assists were doled out by House and sophomore Katie Houchens (Denver, Colo./Kent Denver).

Rounding things out, the Tigers were defeated 1-0 at Wooster last Saturday. Wittenberg took more shots in the game, but they couldn't find the back of the cage.

Next up is the first-ever NCAC tournament on Saturday. A win by the first-seeded Tigers against the No. 4 seed, Oberlin, will bring the championship game to Springfield on Nov. 9. Denison and Wooster are playing the other semifinal game Saturday in Granville.