SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Wittenberg Tigers snapped a four-game losing streak in a big way Friday with an 82-51 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) victory over visiting Allegheny.
The win moved the Tigers to 3-5 overall and 2-0 in the NCAC. The loss dropped Allegheny to 4-8 overall and 1-2 in the conference.
The Tigers rocketed to a 43-28 lead by halftime, which became a 33-point margin at its largest with five minutes left in the game. A host of Tigers saw their first minutes of the season in the blowout, but even the reserves never let up, as that 33-point lead came after most of the regular rotation had taken a seat.
Fifteen different Wittenberg players saw action in the game, including five who entered their first game of the season. For four of those five, it was their collegiate debut, led by a great performance from Kelsey Casey (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington), who went 3-of-3 from the field, earning her first two points within 45 seconds of taking the floor. Joining Casey in their first collegiate games were Jena Aller (Lima, Ohio/Shawnee), Kali Parmley (Rushylvania, Ohio/Benjamin Logan) and Amber Burton (Manchester, Ohio/Manchester). Aller grabbed two rebounds in three minutes on the floor, Parmley scored three points and went up for a rebound in four minutes, and Burton made one of two free throws while pulling down two rebounds.
Amber Lough (Springfield, Ohio/Northwestern) saw her first minutes of the season, although she was unable to score in five minutes on the floor. As a team, the Tigers shot 52 percent on the night, despite a 1-for-13 performance from three-point range. Stephanie Boardman (Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley) had another perfect night from the field on 5-of-5 shooting, ending the night with 14 points after four made free throws. Rachel Kohlruss (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) posted a double-double, hitting 5-of-8 for 10 points and grabbing 11 boards.
Other players in double figures for the Tigers included Ali Rohlfs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame), who scored 11 points, and Katherine Hueter (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Darby), who posted 11 points and nine rebounds in her best collegiate performance to date. Carrie Dyer (Copley, Ohio/Copley) played a great game as well, hitting three field goals and a free throw for seven points and two rebounds.