SPRINGFIELD, Ohio --  The Wittenberg University Tigers struck quickly at the games outset, struggled through the middle two quarters, then kicked it into overdrive in the final 15 minutes to pull out a hard-earned 32-21 victory over visiting Hanover College Saturday in the second round of the 2000 NCAA Division III football tournament. It was the first time in three years that Wittenberg had survived a second-round game in the playoffs, and the victory earned the Tigers a trip to Alliance, Ohio next week for a date with the No. 1 ranked and top-seeded Mount Union Purple Raiders.

Wittenberg, now 12-0 overall this year and the No. 2 seed in the North Region after winning the North Coast Athletic Conference championship, can thank senior tailback Casey Donaldson (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) and a defense that found its groove late for the victory. Donaldson rambled for 258 yards in the game on 34 carries the sixth time in six starts that he had rushed for at least 130 yards in a playoff game and he scored 30 of the teams 32 points.

He got things started in the first quarter with an eight-yard touchdown run that capped a 78-yard opening drive for the Tigers. Then after a Hanover punt, Donaldson added a 24-yard touchdown run to conclude a 74-yard drive that provided a 14-0 lead.

But the Panthers, the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference champions who finished the year 8-4 overall after starting it 2-3, struck right back with an 86-yard touchdown drive that culminated with a two-yard touchdown run by Todd England. The big play in the drive that set up the touchdown was a 54-yard hook-up between quarterback Eric Bruns and wide receiver Beau Hill.

The Wittenberg lead evaporated late in the second quarter on just the second defensive touchdown yielded all season. Senior quarterback Anthony Crane (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) had a pass attempt intercepted by Hanovers Zach Beeler and returned 50 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion pass was successful between Bruns and John Agan to tie the score.

Wittenberg came back to take a 20-14 lead as Donaldson found a seam along the far sideline and burst 39 yards to paydirt with 2:19 left in the second quarter. It was set up when junior defensive end Tim Daoust (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic) forced and recovered a fumble at the Hanover 41 yard line.

Hanover struck first in the second half to take its first lead of the game as Steve Baudendistel caught a four-yard touchdown pass from Bruns. The 73-yard drive included seven pass completions to five different receivers, including a clutch 23-yarder on third down to Terrell Cummings.

From that point, however, it was all Wittenberg, but it was never easy. Hanovers next four possessions netted just 41 yards, no points and a costly turnover. Donaldson scored his fourth touchdown of the game on a nine-yard burst with 9:38 left in the game. The score was set up by the Tigers only long pass play of the afternoon, a 44-yard completion from Crane to junior wide receiver Steve DeGraffinreed (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) to the Hanover 11 yard line.

Then the game turned for good as Hanover wide receiver John Agan, who led all players with 12 catches in the game, fumbled after catching a short pass after a hit by Wittenberg junior Andy Waddle (Enon, Ohio/Greenon). Sophomore Jim Lackmeyer (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) recovered the muff and Donaldson did the rest, going 15 yards over right tackle to find the end zone on the first play from scrimmage.

For the game, Bruns completed 42 passes in 64 attempts for 376 yards. But the Tigers held Hanovers rushing attack in check, allowing a net minus-five yards overall. Junior linebacker Dustin Goldsbury (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Ready) topped the team with 11 tackles, while senior linebacker Trevor Yost (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster), sophomore defensive end Allen DAndrea (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) and senior cornerback Rob Harris (Cincinnati, Ohio/Withrow) had three tackles for loss each in the game and Daoust had two key sacks in the fourth quarter.

Wittenberg now advances to face Mount Union, which comes in with an 11-0 record after crushing all challengers in the Ohio Athletic Conference this year and wiping out Ohio Northern in the second round of the playoffs. It will be a re-match of a hotly contested 1998 playoff game won by Mount Union, 21-19.