CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. – A trip south of the Ohio River turned out differently than the Wittenberg women's soccer team had hoped, ending in a 2-0 loss to Thomas More College but leaving the Tigers with a still solid 6-3-2 overall record.
The loss comes less than 24 hours after a 5-0 rout of Hiram College at home at Edwards-Maurer Field on Saturday. The Homecoming victory improved the Tigers' North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) record to 3-0.
The back-to-back games on a busy Homecoming Weekend may have played a part in the defeat.
"We came out flat today and could not combine through the midfield," head coach Kwame Lloyd said. "The back line was solid, and we had our chances in both halves. But we stepped it up in all phases in the second half."
The Tigers' improved second half is evident in Thomas More's statistics. The Saints shot seven times and scored twice in the first half but were scoreless in just four shots in the second period. As a result, senior goalkeeper Cassie Lythjohan (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) made three of her four saves in the first half. She was also aided by a team save in the 33rd minute.
Fortunately, Sunday's out-of-conference match has no effect on that sparkling league record. Wittenberg will resume the NCAC race at home against Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday, Oct. 13, at 5 p.m. following another non-conference contest at Ohio Northern on Thursday, Oct. 11, at 4 p.m.
The Tigers took six shots against Thomas More, three in each half, and put two on frame, one each from senior Lauren McMahon (Loveland, Ohio/Ursuline) and sophomore Chelsey Marcum (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville).
Marcum led Wittenberg with two total shots, while junior Kayla Murphy (Dayton, Ohio/Stebbins), sophomore Tobie Weston (Worthington, Ohio/Worthington Christian) and junior Lindsay Janmey (Hinckley, Ohio/Highland) each shot once.
The Tigers' back line was anchored by senior Kelly Brothers (Dublin, Ohio/Jerome), who again impressed Lloyd, calling her performance "steady as usual."
Thomas More benefitted from a defensive miscue on their second goal when a defender changed the course of a ball Lythjohan was ready to save. On the first goal, the keeper ended up part of a fight for position on a corner kick, and a push from behind left her unable to defend the ensuing play.