Season Outlook

Back-to-back banner years for the Wittenberg women's soccer team have set expectations at a new level in 2008. Coming off an NCAA Division III Tournament Round of 16 appearance and a second consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament title, Head Coach Norm Riker welcomes 19 letterwinners back for a highly anticipated 2008 campaign.

August 15, 2008

Jamie Mack (4) and Maggie Amorello hope to duplicate last year's defensive effort, in which the Tigers allowed just eight goals in 24 games.

Back-to-back banner years for the Wittenberg women's soccer team have set expectations at a new level in 2008. Coming off an NCAA Division III Tournament Round of 16 appearance and a second consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament title, Head Coach Norm Riker welcomes 19 letterwinners back for a highly anticipated 2008 campaign.

While the Tigers no longer have the services of nine seniors, including seven starters, who made up the most successful senior class in school history, there is plenty of talent remaining in the pipeline. Senior leadership will fall on the shoulders of midfielder Suzanne Medwid (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and defender Lauren Johnson (Huntsville, Ala./Hilliard (Ohio) Davidson), who were key starters in 2007. Medwid, a third-team All-American in 2007, is the Tigers' top returning offensive player after contributing five goals and four assists to the attack a year ago. Johnson has overcome an assortment of injuries during her collegiate career to start 22 of the 24 games on the back line in 2007.

Three other seniors who will be factors in the team's success are forward Corey Shubitowski (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson), defender Jamie Mack (Rochester, NY/Penfield) and goalkeeper Jordan Bamberger (Solon, Ohio/Solon). Shubitowski netted three goals in her first season in the Red and White after transferring from the University of Dayton and was a 2007 All-NCAC honorable mention honoree. Mack tallied a pair of goals and was a defensive stalwart for the Tigers, appearing in 19 games despite injuries in 2007.

Bamberger has waited three years for her turn in the net, and she hopes to follow closely in the footsteps of graduated second-team All-American Meghan O'Rourke, the Tigers' starting goalkeeper the last four years. She has never allowed a collegiate goal in six career appearances.

The other returning full-time starter is junior Rachael Radel (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview), who logged the second-most minutes of any field player as a defender a year ago. She is making the move to the midfield in 2008. Also back is sophomore defender Maggie Amorello (Sutton, Mass./Worcester Academy), who played a key role on a defense that allowed just eight goals in 24 games in 2007.

Riker utilized his bench to great effect in recent years, and the payoff figures to come in 2008 as experienced players populate the roster. Among other players sure to see significant time, or new starting assignments in 2008, are senior forward Tara Osborne (Oxford, Ohio/Talawanda), junior forward Sara Pirozzi (Akron, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy), junior forward Kelly Clark (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley), sophomore forward Emily Murray (Petoskey, Mich./Petoskey) and sophomore defender Kelly Foley (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto). All five players appeared in all 24 games a year ago.

An incoming freshman class that includes an astounding 20 new faces give Riker plenty of additional options, heading into the Tigers' regular season opener against Alma College at 6 p.m. Aug. 30 at Edwards-Maurer Field. The non-conference schedule includes games against regional powers DePauw University and Transylvania University before conference play kicks off with a game against rival Ohio Wesleyan on Oct. 1 at Edwards-Maurer Field.