SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - For the 56th straight time, the Wittenberg Tigers took a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) opponent's best punch in a regular season match and answered in a most authoritative way. The latest league rival to be on the receiving end of a Wittenberg right cross was Ohio Wesleyan in a 3-0 sweep.
Both teams came into the matchup with unblemished NCAC records, but after a strong start by Ohio Wesleyan it was all Wittenberg by set scores of 25-18, 25-12, 25-15. The win was Wittenberg's 56th straight regular season NCAC victory as the Tigers improved to 15-1 overall and a league-best 5-0 with three regular season matches remaining.
Ohio Wesleyan, which came into the match on a school-record 19-match win streak, dropped to 19-2 on the season and 3-1 in the conference. The Battling Bishops have not beaten Wittenberg since 1996.
OWU jumped on top 10-7 midway through the first set before Wittenberg won five straight points to gain the momentum. The two teams battled to 18-17 before the Tigers went on another 5-0 run to take control.
The second set offered a similar scenario, with OWU again taking an early advantage at 7-3. Wittenberg put together runs of 8-0 and 7-0 in the set, however, and that momentum carried into a dominant third and final frame.
Junior middle hitter Kendall Farmer (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) was efficient in leading the offense, as she pounded eight kills in just 11 swings for a .727 attack percentage. Senior Kara Seidenstricker (London, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) topped all players with 15 kills - on an attack percentage of .519 - and she added a team-high 12 digs as well. That total was matched by senior Melissa Emming (West Chester, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame).
Freshman Megan Flaherty (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) led the Tigers in assists with 21, and senior Bryanna Jay (Girard, Ohio/Girard) was strong at the net with four blocks.
Wittenberg, ranked seventh nationally, has more than a week off before taking the court again in a key Great Lakes Region match against arch-rival Calvin, the fifth-ranked team in the nation, at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, on the Knights' home floor.
Written By: AJ Meyer '15 and Ryan Maurer