GRANVILLE, Ohio - The 70-mile journey across Central Ohio to Denison has been a long and treacherous one for the Wittenberg Tigers in recent years, even as the team has captured four of the last five North Coast Athletic Conference titles. On Wednesday, the Tigers continued to struggle in their journeys to Denison and the home of the Big Red in a disappointing 3-0 loss.

The loss, the Tigers' third in shutout fashion, dropped Wittenberg to 0-4 on the season, including an 0-2 record in the NCAC. Denison, coming off a very challenging early-season non-conference schedule, improved to 2-5 overall.

The goaltending tandem of sophomore Nicole Irvin and freshman Andrea Lauer combined for six saves in the game. The shots totals were very even - nine for Denison and seven for Wittenberg - but the score was not as Denison scored twice in the first half and then put things out of reach with a second-half tally to account for the final margin.

It gets no easier this weekend as the College of Wooster comes calling on Saturday. It may well be a must-win for the defending conference champion Tigers, who lost just three NCAC games all season in 2004.