Tigers Host Tournament

Wittenberg Head Coach often says she is "crazy" for the schedules she puts together. After finishing second in top-flight tournaments at Mt. St. Joseph and Elmhurst already this season, the Tigers hosted the first of two equally high-quality tournaments last weekend in the HPER Center.

Crazy indeed. If anyone had doubts of Wittenberg's ability to compete on a national level, it was again erased with a fine performance before a boisterous homecoming crowd.

In a tournament that included Case Western Reserve, second-ranked Elmhurst, No. 14 ranked Ohio Northern and Ohio Athletic Conference powers Muskingum and Mt. Union, the 12th-ranked Tigers finished in a three-way tie for first with Ohio Northern and Elmhurst with a 3-1 record. Based on tiebreaker criteria, ONU was awarded the championship, with Elmhurst, which beat Wittenberg for the second time this season in the tourney's final match, taking the runner-up trophy.

There were plenty of bright spots for the host Tigers, particularly the continued brilliant play of junior outside hitter Teresa Murphy (Blacklick, Ohio/Newark Catholic), who had 81 kills and 68 digs in five matches during the week (including an NCAC match last Wednesday against Earlham). She and freshman outside hitter Monica McDonald (Newark, Ohio/Catholic), the team's leader in kills, both were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Next up for the four-time defending NCAC champions is a conference tri-match at Allegheny with Denison. The Gators and Big Red are expected to be Wittenberg's closest pursuers in the race for the 2001 regular season and tournament titles.