SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tiger field hockey team made it three straight with a win over the DePauw Tigers at home Wednesday night, coming away with a hard-fought 4-3 victory in the last four minutes of the game. The decision moves Wittenberg to 3-1 overall while DePauw drops to 3-3.
DePauw and Wittenberg battled through an almost scoreless first period until junior forward Tori Casanta (Mason, Ohio/Cor Jesu Academy) scored for Wittenberg with just 1:04 to play, taking a 1-0 lead into the break. The second half turned out much differently, as each team scored three times to construct the final margin.
DePauw evened the score within a minute of the start of the second period, but Wittenberg jumped out to a 3-1 lead within the next 10 minutes, taking what seemed a comfortable advantage thanks to goals by Casanta and freshman forward Kellen Morrissey (Aurora, Colo./Smoky Hill). DePauw answered with goals in the 45th and 53rd minutes to once again knot things up. The remaining 17 minutes played at breakneck speed as each team raced to take the lead, but it was Wittenberg's junior forward Boo Vernon (Lake Bluff, Ill./Cushing Academy) that scored the winner with just 3:30 remaining.
Junior goalkeeper Liana Began (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) made two saves in the game while occupying the net for the whole 90 minutes. Vernon and junior defender Meredith Price (Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Country Day) each helped out in the net with a defensive save. Casanta, Vernon and sophomore forward Elizabeth Dwyer (St. Louis, Mo./Ladue) all earned assists in the game.
The Tigers next head to undefeated conference power Wooster on Saturday, Sept. 19, for a match slated to begin at Noon.
Written by: John Strawn