Tigers Stumble At Wooster; Fall To Third In NCAC Regular Season Standings

Kailey Striebel

WOOSTER, Ohio — The Wittenberg Tigers headed into the 2010 regular season finale in control of their own destiny, but the host Wooster Scots not only played spoiler but they captured a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) title of their own with a 2-0 victory.

The loss dropped Wittenberg into a second-place tie with Denison at 15 points, one less than Wooster but one more than Allegheny. Since the Big Red defeated Wittenberg 3-0 earlier this season, the Tigers will have to hit the road for a re-match at Denison in the NCAC Tournament semifinals on Wednesday, Nov. 3. Wittenberg, which has won the last four NCAC Tournament titles, heads into postseason play with records of 13-4-1 overall and 5-2-0 in the NCAC, while Wooster improved to 11-6-1 overall and 5-1-1 in the conference.

Wooster had the upper hand in each half, piling up 12 shots to just five for Wittenberg. The Scots got the first goal in the 43rd minute off a goalkeeper deflection, and they put the game out of reach in the 90th minute on a breakaway - sophomore goalkeeper Melissa Gartner (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula) had pushed up into the offensive third in hopes of helping her team score an equalizing goal.

Gartner was credited with five saves in the game. At the other end of the field, sophomore Kailey Striebel (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) led Wittenberg with three shots, although none was on goal. Junior Allie Keefer (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) had a shot on goal and senior Maggie Amorello (Sutton, Mass./Worcester Academy) forced Wooster's goalkeeper into a save in the 89th minute.