Cory Windle was among the team leaders in scoring for a third straight season in 2005.
Setting the Scene:
The Wittenberg University men's lacrosse team went through a frustrating season of what-ifs in 2005, finishing 2-11 overall and 1-4 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. Once again, it was the Tigers' inability to win the close games that proved most costly as four decisions went against Wittenberg by four goals or less.
After starting the season with an 11-7 loss to first-year scholarship program Bellarmine, the Tigers lost three more in a row before defeating visiting Oberlin in a non-conference home game. Wittenberg beat the Yeomen later in the season to break a five-game losing streak before rounding out the campaign with losses at Denison and then at home against 2004 conference tri-champion Wooster. The season finale was a frustrating 8-7 loss in which the Scots rallied for two fourth-quarter goals to steal the win.
Postseason Honors:
Despite a trying season, the Tigers placed eight players on the All-NCAC honor rolls in 2005.
Freshman Mike Coursault (St. Louis, Mo./C.B.C.), junior midfielder Cory Windle (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), sophomore attacker Adam Morrison (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson), junior long-stick middie Jonathan Smiley (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) and sophomore defender Brandon Schwind (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) earned second-team honors.
Sophomore attacker Sammy Hong (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), junior defender Bryan Arnold (Dublin, Ohio/Scioto) and senior defender Bill Fortune (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South) all garnered honorable mention status.
Super Seniors:
The senior class numbered just two in 2005, but they were both important players who will leave significant holes to fill next year.
Attacker Trevor Carlson (Upper Arlington, Ohio/Upper Arlington) was a quality offensive performer for the Tigers for four straight years, finishing with 43 goals and 17 assists for 60 total points in his career. In 2005, he finished with five goals and four assists for nine total points while playing in all 13 games (starting 11) and earning his fourth varsity letter. Carlson's best season was 2003 when he led the Tigers with 21 goals and finished second with 26 total points. He was an honorable mention All-NCAC selection after the season.
Fortune was a key player in the backfield for four straight years. A three-year starter and four-year letterwinner, Fortune made honorable mention All-NCAC each of his last two seasons in the Red & White. He ranked among the team leaders in minutes played and ground balls in each of the last three seasons.
Mike Morrell won nearly 50 percent of his face-offs in 2005 as the Tigers' primary man in the center circle.
Youth Movement:
Thirty of the team's 38 players in 2005 were either freshmen or sophomores in academic standing, and the youth showed as the Tigers lost a majority of their close games for a second straight season. Hopefully, the experiences of the last two seasons will translate into more wins in the future as young players learn what it takes to win at the college level.
Among that number of underclassmen is an outstanding 13-man sophomore class, almost all whom were major contributors in 2005 and are expected to be cornerstones in the program's future. Offensively, Hong, Morrison, Shimko, attackers Travis Moore (Columbus, Ohio/Wellington) and Matt Davis (Medina, Ohio/Medina) and midfielder Cory Griffiths (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) are key players. Morrison led the Tigers with 29 total points in 2005 and Hong, the 2004 NCAC Newscomer of the Year, topped all goal-scorers with 24.
Defensively, the sophomore class includes Schwind, second on the team with 39 ground balls in 2005, midfielders Mark Morrell (Ballwin, Mo./C.B.C.) and Andy Murschel (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Chagrin Falls) and long-stick midfielder Jansen Wehrley (Medina, Ohio/Medina), all of whom played in at least 10 games this year.
The freshman class isn't as deep, but there is quality, starting with Coursault, who came on strong in his inaugural collegiate campaign to finish with 10 goals and 12 total points. Other first-year students who appeared in at least 10 games during the 2005 season were midfielders Dave Campbell (Morgantown, W.Va./University School), Matt Delestienne (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park), James Mather (LaGrange, Ill./Lyons Township) and Dylan Baun (Mars, Pa./North Allegheny).
The Coach:
Vinnie Lang (Purdue '93) wrapped up his five-year stint at Wittenberg University with an overall record of 20-50. After the season, he chose to resign his position to pursue other professional opportunities.
Lang arrived in Springfield after three seasons at Mercyhurst College, including a 2000 campaign in which the Lakers went 8-3 and finished the season ranked 10th in the nation.
Lang played at Oswego State Univesity for four seasons (1984-88), and played for the club lacrosse program at Purdue University for four years. He earned Big 10 midfielder of the year honors from 1992-94. His accomplishments also include second team All-Empire Lacrosse League and team MVP honors at Oswego in 1988.