Tigers Earn Second Straight Split At Midwest Challenge

HOLLAND, Mich. - It may not have been the overall set of results that the Wittenberg Tigers had hoped for, but at the very least they showed the ability to compete with the best that NCAA Division III has to offer again in 2013.

A day after beating seventh-ranked Mount Union and losing to No. 1-ranked Calvin on the Knights home floor, Wittenberg dropped a 3-2 decision to second-ranked Hope before capping a busy Midwest Volleyball Challenge weekend with a 3-0 victory over Bethany. The Tigers are now 14-7 overall on the 2013 season, with all seven losses coming against teams ranked in the top 20 nationally.

The tourney's second day started with the loss to Hope as the Flying Dutch rallied from a 2-1 deficit to secure the win by set scores of 25-16, 19-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-13.

Sophomore Kara Seidenstricker (London, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) continued to elevate her play, pounding 22 kills to go along with 18 digs. Senior Andrea Behling (Columbus, Ind./North) added 16 kills and seven digs, while freshman Emily Kahlig (Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater) was stellar with seven kills and a team-best four blocks.

Also of note, junior Meghan Vodopich (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Perry) dished out a career-high 50 assists while also contributing eight kills to the attack and 16 digs and three blocks to the defense, and junior Kiah Murray (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown) led the Tigers with 24 digs.

Wittenberg made short work of Bethany in the final match of the weekend, winning by set scores of 25-17, 25-15, 25-13. Seidenstricker and Behling each finished with 10 kills, Murray paced the defense with 15 digs and Vodopich dished out 33 assists. As a team, Wittenberg attacked at a phenomenal .422 clip in the match.