The Wittenberg volleyball team is back to its winning ways as the 2003 North Coast Athletic Conference race heats up. Winners of six straight NCAC regular season and tournament championships, the Tigers are off to a 3-0 start this year.
All three of those wins - over Allegheny and Kenyon on Saturday and Earlham on Wednesday - have come by lopsided 3-0 decisions. Every active player on the Tigers' roster has gotten ample opportunity in those matches to join the action. In the win over Allegheny, junior Sarah Yuskewich (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson) finished with 26 assists and senior Jen Emming (West Chester, Ohio/Mt. Notre Dame) chipped in with 19 digs. Against Kenyon, junior Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) expertly patrolled the backcourt for 18 digs to lead the team. And against Earlham, senior Katie Preuss (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) posted 32 assists, Schmid had 13 digs, sophomore Aubrey Anderson (Northbrook, Ill/Glenbrook North) finished with career highs of six kills and five aces and senior Michelle Emming (West Chester, Ohio/Mt. Notre Dame) showed the way with 10 kills and 19 digs.
The team returns to action this weekend for the annual Wittenberg Invitational. Eight teams will compete over a two-day span, beginning at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26, and winding up with championship and third-place matches at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27.
Along with the host Tigers, competing in this year's Wittenberg Invitational are Calvin, Defiance, Hope, Ohio Northern, Thomas More, Ithaca and Franklin. Every team in the Wittenberg Invitational has at least a .500 record. Wittenberg is ranked No. 6 in the nation in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, while Ohio Northern is ranked No. 13.
Ohio Northern, a perennial NCAA Division III Tournament qualifier, is 11-4 after a key early-season Ohio Athletic Conference win over Mount Union. Calvin is one of the top teams in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association every year and comes in with an 11-2 record. Hope is second in the MIAA currently with a mark of 8-4 overall. Ithaca is off to a 12-4 start to the season. Defiance is 11-0 in 2003 and recently extended its win streak to 15 matches dating back to the 2002 season. Franklin, which is coming off a 26-8 record in 2002, is 7-6 so far in 2003. Rounding things out, Thomas More comes in with an 8-8 record.
Tigers Take Three Wins
Posted: Sep 25, 2003