Tigers Take an Automatic Bid NCAA Tournament

The Wittenberg University volleyball team dropped just a single game in eight regular season North Coast Athletic Conference matches, won two in-season tournaments (Alma and Colorado College) and then swept three straight matches in the NCAC tournament to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.

The Tigers drew the No. 3 seed in the North regional bracket of the year-end tourney and traveled to Cincinnati for last weekend's matches at Mt. St. Joseph. In the opener, Wittenberg defeated the sixth-seeded U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, 3-0 (15-7, 15-4, 15-7). The Tigers leaped out to big early leads in each game and were only challenged in the third game by the Mariners, the Skyline Conference champions who completed the season with a 27-9 overall record.

Sophomore outside hitter Brittany Baume (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) and sophomore outside hitter and NCAC tournament MVP Teresa Murphy (Blacklick, Ohio/Newark Catholic) paced the team with 16 and 15 kills respectively. Sophomore setter and the nation's leader in assists Shelli Habegger (Curtice, Ohio/Oregon Clay) contributed 34 assists and freshman middle hitter Sarah Muzi (Canton, Ohio/GlenOak showed her versatility with a team-high eight digs.

On Saturday, the Tigers stunned the second-seeded Ohio Northern Polar Bears, 3-2 (7-15, 15-10, 18-16, 11-15, 19-17), in an epic, 2-hour, 45-minute match to advance to the regional final for the first time ever. Ohio Northern, which was ranked No. 8 in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, finished 27-9 on the season.

Again, it was the quartet of sophomores leading the charge. Baume pounded 30 kills, Murphy hammered 29 kills and picked up 31 digs, Habegger had 69 assists and 28 digs, and outside hitter Tiffany Keller (Massillon, Ohio/Tuslaw) had 14 kills in 23 attempts.

The Wittenberg Tigers finally ran out of steam in the regional championship match, dropping a 3-0 decision to the top-seeded and host Mt. St. Joseph Mountie Lions.

Keller showed the way offensively for the Tigers with 13 kills in 28 attempts. Baume chipped in with 11 kills, Habegger finished with 32 assists, and senior Melodi Mann (Anna, Ohio/Jackson Center) completed her career with an 18-dig performance.

The Tigers wind up the season with a 32-9 overall record. Four of their nine losses this season came to Mt. St. Joseph. All-conference and region teams will be announced in the next week. Watch for details.