DELAWARE, OHIO - In a game for first place in the North Coast Athletic Conference, the Wittenberg Tigers fell in a hard-fought, back-and-forth contest 74-72 at Ohio Wesleyan.

The Battlin' Bishops, the defending NCAC regular season and tournament champions, were paced by senior forward and 2001 NCAC Player of the Year Katy Sturtz, who poured in 23 huge points. The Bishops, the preseason NCAC favorite after making it all the way to the NCAA Division III Final Four a year ago, improved to 8-5 overall and 5-1 in the NCAC with the win.

The Tigers got 15 points from All-NCAC junior guard Kate Rolf, as well as a double-double from junior forward Tiffany Keller off the bench (10 points and 10 rebounds). In addition, junior forward Meghan Bruggeman dropped in 10 points and pulled down four rebounds in just nine minutes of action off the bench.

The loss snapped Wittenberg's modest four-game win streak and left the Tigers 9-4 overall and 4-1 in the NCAC.