GRANVILLE, Ohio - The Wittenberg field hockey team moved one step closer to clinching a spot in the NCAC Tournament with a victory over the Denison Big Red 2-1 in overtime. The Tigers got the game-winner just over three minutes into the overtime session when sophomore Meredith Price (Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Country Day) assisted on a Boo Vernon (Lake Bluff, Ill./Cushing Academy) goal to give the Tigers their fourth win in a row.
Price's strong afternoon began with the match's first goal, coming late in the first half on a penalty corner. Sophomore Kelley Herde (Louisville, Ky./Assumption) settled the ball before working it to Price, who gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead at the intermission. The Big Red battled back in the second half, getting a goal in the final 10 minutes to snap the Tigers string of two consecutive shutouts and force overtime.
The Tigers would take advantange of their seventh penalty corner of the afternoon, with Vernon collecting her 11th goal of the year and fourth game-winner. Wittenberg outshot the host team 16-14 on the contest, even though the Big Red had an 11-7 penalty corner advantage. It was all a far cry from the first match-up between the two teams on Oct. 7 in Springfield. That day, Wittenberg won 9-3 in dominating fashion.
The win gets the Tigers above .500 in conference play for the first time in 2008 and brings a surge of momentum into a key match on Saturday, Oct. 18, when the Wooster Scots visit for a 10 a.m. start. Wooster topped the Tigers 5-2 when the two sides met earlier this season.
Written By: Ben Bradley, SID Assistant