The Wittenberg women's soccer team isn't just in search of
respectability in 2004. Now in their third year under the direction
of Head Coach Norm Riker, the Tigers may be poised to take the next
step and compete for first place in the always challenging North
Coast Athletic Conference.
It won't be easy, considering the fact that the roster is
once again filled with underclassmen (22 of the 28 players are
freshmen and sophomores), and the team's leading scorer and
goaltender both graduated last spring. But Riker is confident that
the talent level and overall depth in the program have greatly
improved. If both are true, then Wittenberg may in fact be ready to
challenge such perennial powerhouse programs as Ohio Wesleyan,
Denison, Allegheny and Wooster, the top four teams in the NCAC a
year ago.
Offensively, the Tigers return two of the players who reached
double figures in scoring a year ago,
junior Lindsay Zigler (Columbus, Ohio/Upper
Arlington) and
sophomore Lucia Cornett (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak
Hills). Zigler will be joined at the forward
position by three other returning letterwinners:
sophomore Liz Volz (Cincinnati,
Ohio/Seton), who scored three points in the first
two games in 2003 before suffering a season-ending injury,
junior Melissa Gallion (West Jefferson,
Ohio/West Jefferson) and
sophomore Aimee Erney (Columbus,
Ohio/Hartley); and seven
newcomers: Lisa Rusch (Columbus,
Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne),Stephanie
Sharp, Amanda
Farrell, Megan Hauser
(Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson),Abby
Vanderbosch (Delaware,
Ohio/Hayes), Sydney Bates
(Loveland,
Ohio/Milford) and Kelly
Kreiger (Fairborn,
Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne).
In the midfield, the anchors are two-time all-conference
choice Emily Hiscar (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins
Memorial), a junior captain, and Cornett.
Senior Rachel Ridgeway (Montclair, NJ/The Taft
School (Conn.)), a former All-NCAC honoree, is also
back after missing the 2003 season due to an academic internship,
as is sophomore Courtney Burchett
(Indianapolis, Ind./North Central), who earned a
letter in 2003. Joining them are newcomers Amy
Meige (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis
DeSales), Melissa Ketterman
(Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of
Mercy) and Lindsey Rusch
(Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne).
Defensively, the Tigers are led by four returning
letterwinners, including all-conference
selections Jamie McIntyre (Columbus,
Ohio/Grandview) and Phoebe
Gaston (Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest), both
sophomores. In addition, senior
captain Meredith Belser and
sophomoreLauren Fraley (Delaware,
Ohio/Olentangy) started all 19 games a year
ago, and sophomore Emily Stover (Bexley,
Ohio/Bexley) is back after earning her first
collegiate letter in 2003. They are joined by
newcomers Stacy Fennell (Dayton, Ohio/Huber
Heights Wayne), Rachel Morgan
(Cincinnati,
Ohio/Colerain) andAbby Johnson
(Powell, Ohio/Olentangy).
Rounding things out, senior Eileen Quinn
(Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook South) and
freshman Meghan O'Rourke (Columbus,
Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) figure to share
time in goal for the Tigers this year. Quinn shared starting duties
in 2001 and 2002 but didn't play last season. Erney will also see
some time in goal in 2004.