The Tigers stepped outside the NCAC again last weekend and took a look at how they stacked up against the best of the best in NCAA Division III. Wittenberg, as it turned out, didn't stack up too high, finishing fourth in the five-team Wittenberg National Invitational over the weekend. But the team is actually encouraged rather than discouraged.

Wittenberg opened the week by winning its sixth straight NCAC match of the 2001 season, a 3-0 whitewashing of Ohio Wesleyan last Wednesday. Then in the Wittenberg National Invitational on Friday and Saturday, the host team defeated Thomas More before losing to No. 1 Wisconsin-Whitewater, No. 2 Mt. St. Joseph and No. 5 Juniata. The Tigers managed to win a game in only one of those three matches.

Freshman outside hitter Monica McDonald (Newark, Ohio/Catholic) was outstanding again in the tournament. After pounding 86 kills in five matches the week before, McDonald was back at it again last week, totaling 68 kills for a 4.25 average. That was good for NCAC Player of the Week honors. She ranks among the league leaders with 371 kills in 86 games in 2001, good for a 4.3 average.

This is a week to regroup before a big push toward the conclusion of the 2001 season and what the team hopes will be a sixth consecutive berth in the NCAA Division III tournament. The Tigers hit the road on Thursday for a match at Thomas More and then return home to close out regular season conference action against Oberlin and Kenyon on Saturday.