Just a few short weeks ago, it didn't seem plausible. A young Wittenberg team that had torn through its pre-NCAC schedule had seemingly peaked with a six-game win streak. Since a high-water mark of 7-1, the Tigers were defeated four straight times on the road to fall to 1-4 in the NCAC.
But the Tigers rallied to win their last three regular season conference games - 4-1 over Earlham on Oct. 11, 1-0 over Oberlin on Oct. 14 and then 6-1 over Hiram on Oct. 21. With Saturday's win at Hiram, the Tigers forged a three-way tie for fourth place at 4-4 with Wooster and Kenyon, and they were awarded the final tournament spot based on a total points tiebreaker. Only the top four teams make it, and the Tigers will head to Meadville, Pa. on Wednesday as the No. 4 seed.
Wittenberg will take on top-seeded Allegheny, which won the regular season title based on tiebreaker criteria as well. The Tigers lost to the Gators, 4-2, on Sept. 30 in Meadville.
Ohio Wesleyan, the second seed, takes on third-seeded Denison in the other semifinal match-up. The first round winners square off on Saturday, Oct. 28 to determine the NCAC's representative in the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Wittenberg started last week off on a down note, however. On Senior Day at Bill Edwards Field, the Tigers were beaten by visiting non-conference foe Cedarville 2-1 in overtime. Freshman forward Geri Woessner (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) scored Wittenberg's lone goal late in regulation to force the extra session, but the Yellow Jackets won it with a goal just five minutes into the overtime period.
It was the final home appearance for seniors Shana Ryan (London, Ohio/London), a defensive back who has been named All-NCAC in each of her first three seasons, and Natalie Estep (Fairborn, Ohio/Fairborn), a midfielder and the team's second-leading scorer with 10 goals and six assists in 2000.
The resilient Tigers came right back on Saturday, however, to score six important goals in the NCAC match at Hiram. After a scoreless first half, Woessner turned a hat trick and Estep, freshman forward Jill Rekers (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro)and sophomore midfielder Emily Gersbach (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) all added goals to make up the crucial final scoring margin.
Woessner, who tops the NCAC in scoring, has now tied the Wittenberg record for goals in a season with 18. The record was previously set by Karen Larson in 1993.