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SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — For the second time during an untimely four-game losing streak, the Wittenberg Tigers lost an overtime North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) home game. Six days after falling to nationally ranked DePauw, the Tigers were beaten by longtime rival Denison by an identical 2-1 score.
The loss dropped the Tigers to 5-9-1 overall and 1-5-0 in the NCAC, while Denison remained in the hunt for one of the four NCAC Tournament berths at 8-5-2 overall and 4-3-0 in the conference.
Unlike the loss to DePauw on Oct. 12, Wittenberg fell behind 1-0 on an early goal. After a lengthy break forced by inclement weather moving through the area late in the first half, the Tigers battled back to tie it on an unassisted goal by freshman Joe Poff (Vandalia, Ohio/Butler) in the 75th minute. It was Poff's first collegiate goal.
The two teams ended regulation deadlocked, but the Tigers appeared to have the momentum in this one, unlike the loss to DePauw, in which the visiting Tigers tied the game with a mere 1.6 seconds left on the clock. Unfortunately, the end result was the same as Denison struck at the 96:30 mark on a header by Corey Ricketts off a corner kick.
The Big Red outshot Wittenberg 14-11 and attempted eight corner kicks to the Tigers' two. Senior goalkeeper Michael Lambeck (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) made four saves in the game.