Tigers Open NCAC Action With Clutch OT Win Over Kenyon

Suzanne Medwid

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The air was cool and the fall weather had just begun to set in as the Wittenberg Tigers took on their conference rival the Kenyon Ladies. Without a win against the Ladies since 2001, the Tigers came out playing like they had something to prove. They did just that, winning by a narrow margin of 2-1 in overtime.

After a neck and neck first half in which the Tigers had multiple chances to score but could not convert - Kenyon had one shot on goal and Wittenberg had five, the two teams went into halftime tied at 0-0.

The second half was just as close as the first. Sophomore midfielder Suzanne Medwid (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) broke the ice with a goal seven minutes into the half. Medwid placed the ball in the lower right corner of the net off a free kick after teammate Lisa Rusch (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) was fouled. However, just two minutes later the Ladies retaliated with their own goal.

The rest of the game was defense for both the Tigers and the Ladies, with both goalies making saves and both defenses coming up with tremendous stops.

The Tigers had their chances in overtime as sophomore forward Tara Osborne (Oxford, Ohio/Talawanda) had a straight shot on goal that just tipped the top of the crossbar and went over. The deciding play came when junior Sydney Bates (Loveland, Ohio/Milford) scored off a header from a free kick taken by Suzanne Medwid with just three minutes left in what would have been the first overtime period.

With the win, the Tigers improved their record to 8-2-1 overall and 1-0 in the NCAC while the Ladies fell to 7-3-0, 1-1 NCAC. The Tigers continue conference play Saturday with a key NCAC road trip to Wooster.