Wittenberg Captures Second Straight NCAC Tournament Title With Overtime Win Over Denison

The 2007 Wittenberg Women's Soccer Team With NCAC Trophy

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - It was a night to remember for the Wittenberg Tigers. The women's soccer team broke through in overtime to score a bizarre game winning goal, win the North Coast Athletic Conference tournament championship, and guarantee a bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.

Starting from the forwards on back to the defense, the Tigers took to the field on Saturday with a win on their minds. Following two halves of neck-and-neck, leave-it-all-on-the-field soccer, the women went to overtime against the Denison Big Red ready to take it all and bring the conference trophy back to campus for the second year in a row.

One minute and 39 seconds into the first overtime, the Tigers attacked the Big Red goal and were turned away after Denison goalkeeper Liz Gillette came out of the box to play the ball. Suzanne Medwid (Columbus,Ohio/Upper Arlington) tracked the ball and met it just past midfield in Denison territory and searched for a target. Finding none, she launched the ball towards the goal, and in mid-flight it was deflected by Gillette, who was met at that point by a Denison defender and a streaking Lisa Rusch (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne). The ball glanced past her and rolled weakly into the open goal. The roll was just enough to keep it barely ahead of two chasing Denison defenders, and all they could do was watch as the ball crossed the goal line and gave Wittenberg the win.

The first half was played to the pace of the Tigers, who kept it scoreless. Then, like the Tigers prefer, they found net early in the second to acquire the lead. Rusch pushed forward with the ball and just when Denison thought she would shoot, she crossed it to Amanda Farrell (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) who found the net on a great shot from the box.

After that it was a battle to keep Denison from scoring. Until, that is, Denison probed a hole in the Tiger defense and struck gold, threading a pass through the line to an attacking forward who landed a shot just over the hands of a leaping Meghan O'Rourke (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) to score the game-tying goal.

But the Red & White held on to keep it a tie and send the game extra minutes, where Medwid scored the final goal and sent the team to the NCAA postseason.

Among stellar performances from everyone who saw the field, many stuck out. Especially that of Corey Shubitowski (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson) who made every touch count, helping the Tigers push forward into Denison real estate multiple times. Key to the defense was Rachel Morgan (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain), who guarded her line without falter all night.

The NCAA tournament draws are due to be announced Monday morning, and will determine where the Tigers will next play.

Written by: John Strawn