SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The 2004-05 Wittenberg women's basketball team is short on experience, not talent, so the learning curve may be relatively acute. For now, just four games into the season, the process is a difficult one, as the Tigers dropped a 67-53 decision to sixth-ranked Capital University at the HPER Center.

The loss dropped Wittenberg to 1-3 on the young season, heading into the first game of the North Coast Athletic Conference schedule Wednesday at home against Denison University, one of the expected contenders for the Tigers' regular season and tournament crowns. Capital, which won for the first time since 2001 against the Tigers, improved to 3-0.

For the second straight game, the Tigers dug themselves a monstrous hole in the first half against a quality Ohio Athletic Conference opponent, and like the 72-62 home defeat against Baldwin-Wallace on Tuesday, Wittenberg won the second half battle but ultimately lost the war. Capital streaked out to a whopping 48-22 halftime lead, thanks to 63 percent shooting from the field, including a blistering 5-of-6 from three-point range.

After shooting just 25 percent in the first half and committing 18 turnovers, the Tigers looked rejevunated in the final 20 minutes. Wittenberg whittled the lead down to 11 points with five minutes remaining and even had a possession to cut it to single digits, but it wasn't to be. Capital shot just 6-of-21 in the second half and committed 13 turnovers as the cold-shooting Tigers turned to rebounding and defense to get back into the game. Wittenberg held a 48-32 rebounding advantage as the Tigers collected a whopping 25 offensive caroms.

Wittenberg was led offensively by sophomore guard Megan Miller, who overcame a 5-for-16 shooting performance to score 12 points, including a late three-pointer that drew the Tigers within 11 points with 5:05 remaining in the game. Sophomore forward Kathy Hittle played well in the post, finishing with eight points, 11 rebounds and a career-high three blocked shots, and freshman guard Ellie Stonecash made the most of her 13 minutes off the bench, hoisting 12 shots and finished with eight points.

Capital put three players in double figures, Kate Leopard with 12 and Sara Heitkamp and Jennifer Lilly with 16 points apiece. Lilly also had eight rebounds, while Heitkamp added six assists.