Tigers Drop 3-0 Decision To Third-Ranked Calvin

In a battle of the second and third-ranked teams in NCAA Division III, Calvin took advantage of its size and experience to claim a win on Wittenberg's home floor.

Jordan Mungovan and her Tiger teammates found the offensive opportunities few and far between in a 3-0 loss to #3 Calvin. File Photo | Erin Pence
Jordan Mungovan and her Tiger teammates found the offensive opportunities few and far between in a 3-0 loss to #3 Calvin. File Photo | Erin Pence
Play Video
September 15, 2012

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - Coming off a physically and mentally exhausting first day of the Wittenberg Fall Classic, the Wittenberg Tigers started the second day with a disappointing 3-0 loss to third-ranked Calvin.

The Knights, who won the Great Lakes Region title on Wittenberg's home floor en route to the 2010 national championship, overwhelmed Wittenberg with a combination of stellar net play and timely hitting. Now 11-1 on the season, Calvin finished with 38 kills - 16 from senior All-American Lizzie Kamp - to go along with 10 team blocks, including key stuffs that ended both the first and second sets.

On the other side, the second-ranked Tigers struggled to get much going after losing 3-2 to No. 1 Washington University and defeating No. 7 Hope on the opening day of the tournament. The Tigers finished with just four blocks and an attack percentage of .083 against the long, athletic, experienced Knights.

The Tigers held a 20-18 lead in the opening set, but Calvin set the tone for the match with a 7-0 closing run.  In the second set, the Knights held a 24-22 lead before the Tigers took their turn to rally and tie the set at 24 apiece. Calvin answered with a kill and then a block to put Wittenberg in a hole from which they were unable to climb out.

In the third set, Wittenberg led 17-14 only to see Calvin put together a six-point rally. The Tigers would get no closer than one point the rest of the way as the Knights closed it out 25-21.

Junior Andrea Behling (Columbus, Ind./North) led the Tigers with 10 kills, while freshman Melissa Emming (West Chester, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) added nine kills. Sophomore Meghan Vodopich (Canton, Ohio/Perry) led in assists with 17 and senior Christina Gilene (Milford, Ohio/McNicholas) led both teams with 28 digs.