SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Another close contest found the Tigers on the short end in a pivotal North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) battle. This time, a nine-plus minute scoring drought midway through the second stanza cost Wittenberg against Allegheny in a 58-52 loss.
After rallying from an early defecit to claim a four-point halftime edge at 30-26, Wittenberg built an 11-point lead three minutes into the second period. Then, the offense shut down, allowing the Gators back into the game while the visitors built on the momentum to pull away late.
Wittenberg rode hot free throw shooting in the first half, 12-of-13 from the line, to claim the first-half lead, but the Tigers only reached the charity stripe four times in the second half. Meanwhile, the Tigers had no answer for seniors Hilary Collins and Stephanie Wolf, who combined for 33 points.
Among the players with strong outings, Wittenberg received a double-double from senior post Rachel Dixon (West Liberty, Ohio/Salem) - 12 points and 10 boards - while fellow senior, wing Katie Gardner (Newark, Ohio/Catholic), turned in one of her most complete performances of the season with six points, five assists, and four rebounds. Sophomore wing Katherine Hueter (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Darby)added 10 points for the Red and White to go along with three assists.
In the end, 31 Tiger turnovers proved too much to overcome, in spite of a plus-17 rebounding advantage (40-23). Head Coach Sarah Jurewicz and her women will play host to Hiram College on National Girls and Women in Sports Day at 2 p.m. from Pam Evans Smith Arena. The Tigers will take part in a sports exposition before the game, then will be available after the game for a "greet the players" and autograph session.
Written By: Ben Bradley, SID Assistant