SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers ended a grueling weekend trip with the results they needed most - a pair of North Coast Athletic Conference road victories over Hiram and Allegheny. So despite a weekend-ending 3-2 upset loss to Muskingum in the finale of a Saturday tri-match at Hiram, the Tigers head home with firm control of their conference regular season destiny.
Wittenberg captured a 3-0 win over Hiram in the biggest match of the 2006 season to date. Game scores were decisive - 30-18, 30-19, 30-24. Coupled with earlier wins this week against Earlham and Allegheny, the Tigers moved to 8-0 at the halfway point of the NCAC schedule.
Against the Terriers, Wittenberg used a strong defense to take the advantage from the outset. Junior Caitlin Augustus (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) led with five blocks, while sophomores Brittany Steinbrecher (Delaware, Ohio/Hayes) andJackie Williams (Rocky River, Ohio/Magnificat) added four blocks each. Williams also had eight kills, backing strong efforts from junior Emily Bell (Fort Wayne, Ind./Concordia Lutheran) with 11 kills and junior Lindsey Penrod (Piqua, Ohio/Piqua) with nine kills.
Junior setter Sarah Matesich (Granville, Ohio/Newark Catholic) led with 18 assists, while freshman Erin Slattery (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) added 16. Junior Jan Kehres (Alliance, Ohio/Alliance) showed the way in digs with 26.
On a high after the Hiram match, the Tigers were unable to keep the momentum in a tough 3-2 loss to Muskingum, marking the second straight year that the Muskies had stopped a long Wittenberg win streak. After winning the first two games by decisive 30-18 and 30-23 margins, the Tigers were stunned by scores of 30-26, 31-29 and 15-6.
Statistically, the Tigers were led by Bell with 18 kills, Augustus with four blocks and Matesich with three aces. Sophomore Laura Fender (Toledo, Ohio/St. Ursula)finished with 36 digs, one of the best totals in her career.