HIRAM, Ohio - Mission accomplished. The Wittenberg Tigers made it through the most challenging week of the 2003-04 season a perfect 3-0, taking three straight North Coast Athletic Conference games on the road, including two against their nearest pursuers, Ohio Wesleyan and Allegheny. On Saturday, the clean sweep was complete with a 61-44 victory at Hiram.
Wittenberg won for the 13th straight time in the 2003-04 season and the 33rd straight time in NCAC regular season action, dating back to Feb. 2, 2002, at Allegheny. The win clinched a third straight NCAC regular season championship for the Tigers as they march toward a second straight title without a loss. Hiram fell to 4-17 overall and 1-12 in the conference.
The Tigers never trailed in the game, but that doesn't mean it was the customary lop-sided Wittenberg win against the Terriers. Hiram pushed the game into single-digit deficits on two occasions in the last 10 minutes, but the Tigers did what the have almost all season, hit the big shots at the right times late in games while nursing a lead. Wittenberg scored the last six points of the game in the final two minutes to close things out in style.
Wittenberg was paced by junior guard Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson), who posted a career-high 19 points and added eight rebounds, one short of her career high, all accomplished in just 22 minutes off the bench. Senior forward Haley Warden (Loveland, Ohio/Indian Hill) added 11 points and five rebounds and senior guard Amber Bishop (Batavia, Ohio/Batavia) chipped in with 11 points as well. The Tigers won the rebounding battle 41-25, but they struggled from the three-point line for a second straight game, hitting just 1-of-13.
Hiram gained team-highs of 16 points and six rebounds from Cassie Bedard in the loss. Jessica Harris was strong on the defensive end with four blocks.