Senior goalkeeper Mark DeOliveira

Springfield, Ohio — A year of firsts continued Sunday when the Wittenberg University men's lacrosse team was awarded a home game against Adrian College to start its second straight NCAA Division III Tournament.

The Tigers, who finished the regular season as co-champions of the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), will take on Adrian College in a first-round game against at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 11. Gates will open at Edwards-Maurer Field at 6 p.m. Tickets are $5, and no passes of any kind will be accepted.

UPDATE: Wittenberg's Student Senate will pay the $5 ticket cost for university students who attend the game.

Wittenberg brings records of 13-1 overall and 4-1 in the NCAC into the national competition, while Adrian enters the postseason with a record of 15-2 overall after winning the Midwest Lacrosse Conference regular season and tournament championships. The Bulldogs have won 11 straight games since a 16-9 home loss to Wittenberg on March 26. The teams have met in the regular season each of the last four seasons, with the Tigers holding a 3-1 advantage.

The winner of the first-round game earns a trip to sixth-ranked Dickinson on Saturday, May 14. The Red Devils, owner of a 16-1 overall record, were awarded a first-round bye after capturing their first-ever Centennial Conference regular season and tournament championships in 2011.

Coming off a 2010 season that featured a first-ever NCAC championship and NCAA Division III Tournament berth, Wittenberg topped that this year by winning their first 11 games en route to a 13-1 overall record. The previous high for wins in a season was 10 last year and in 1998.

The Tigers were one of three NCAC teams to reach the 28-team NCAA Division III Tournament field, joined by co-champions Ohio Wesleyan and Denison. It was the second straight year that the three teams finished in a tie for the conference's top spot at 4-1 and then earned at-large berths into the national competition. The Battling Bishops and Big Red will meet at Denison in a first-round match-up, also on Wednesday.

The Tigers are paced on offense by Matt Lord, class of 2011 from Pickerington, Ohio, who leads the conference with 33 goals and 51 total points. He tied the school record for goals in a season a year ago with 42, and he now holds the school record for career goals with 110 and ranks second in total points with 152.

A total of eight Tigers have reached double figures for points on the season, including Brady Christensen, class of 2011 from Medina, Ohio, with a career-high 41 and Alex Previte, class of 2013 from Dublin, Ohio, with a career-best 31.

The Tigers' primary calling card is a hard-nosed veteran defensive unit, spearheaded by goalkeeper Mark DeOliveira, class of 2011 from East Hanover, NJ. He has racked up 134 saves while posting league-bests in save percentage (.650) and goals against average (5.46).

The Tigers have allowed just 74 goals in 14 games, in part thanks to the fine work of midfielders Danny Johnson, class of 2011 from Cincinnati, Ohio, who leads the Tigers for a third straight year in ground balls with 57. Dan Gaines, class of 2011 from Columbus, Ohio, leads the team for a second straight year with 10 caused turnovers.

Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photo By: Erin Pence

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