Senior midfielder Jimmy Thinnes is one of 14 seniors on the Wittenberg men's soccer roster hoping to write the perfect ending to his collegiate career.

Springfield, Ohio — After a 12-year absence, the Wittenberg University men's soccer team has earned the opportunity to play in the 2008 NCAA Division III Tournament.

After tying Ohio Wesleyan 2-2 but falling short in penalty kicks in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament championship game on Saturday, the Tigers received an at-large berth into the NCAA Division III Tournament. Wittenberg will face Carroll College (Wisc.) at Wheaton College (Ill.) at 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14.

The winner of the Wittenberg-Carroll first round game will take on the winner of the day's other first-round contest at the Wheaton site between the host Thunder and Ohio Athletic Conference champion Ohio Northern. The second round game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 15, with the winner advancing to the Round of 16 at a site to be determined the weekend of Nov. 20-22 against the team that emerges from a four-team bracket hosted by Hobart College (N.Y.).

Wittenberg is hoping to write a storybook ending to what is already a record-breaking season. After winning their first 13 games to break school records for longest winning streak and best start in program history, the Tigers struggled down the stretch to finish 16-3-1 overall. Wittenberg wound up third in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC), but the Tigers saved their season with an NCAC Tournament semifinal win at second-seeded Hiram on Nov. 5 and the aforementioned tie at Ohio Wesleyan on Nov. 8.

The Tigers, who were ranked as high as a program-best No. 5 in 2008, have a 1-1-1 record against teams that qualified for the 2008 NCAA Division III Tournament. Wittenberg is making its first appearance in the national competition since 1996. The Tigers have never won an NCAA Division III Tournament game, falling to NCAC rivals Ohio Wesleyan in 1991 and 1992 and Kenyon in 1993 and 1996. All four losses were by one goal.

Wittenberg is led by a tremendous senior class, including 2007 third-team All-American and NCAC Offensive Player of the Year Matt Borland, class of 2009 from Kettering, Ohio. He leads the conference with 12 assists in 19 games, while teammate Shane Price, class of 2009 from Minford, Ohio, leads in goals with 13. The defense has performed admirably since the loss of sweeper Justin Jenkins, class of 2009 from Dublin, Ohio, due to injury three weeks ago. Goalkeeper Michael Lambeck, class of 2012 from Dublin, Ohio, ranks third in the NCAC with a save percentage of .783 and first with seven shutouts on the season.

Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photo By: Brad Tucker

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