Tiger Field Hockey Tops Kueka In Kortyna's Coaching Debut

KEUKA PARK, NY - There's no better way to open a season than to put together a thorough team victory. Add in a landmark victory for your head coach, and Wittenberg Field Hockey can claim a near perfect start to the 2024 season.

Wittenberg outshot the host Keuka College Wolves by a 19-2 margin en route to a 3-0 victory in Head Coach Brighid Kortyna's first game as the team's head coach. Kortyna, a four-year letterwinner for the Tigers, had served as the program's assistant coach for the last five years.

The Tigers opened the scoring at the 20:25 mark as Devyn Groves (LaGrange, KY / Oldham County Senior) found the back of the cage without the help of an assist. Seven minutes later Katie Webber (Columbus, OH / Upper Arlington) opened her scoring account for the season as she tallied off a feed from Lucy Ripepi (Lakewood, OH / Magnificat). Webber scored her second goal of the game in the 39th minute, with the assist on the play going to Groves.

Three different goalkeepers saw action for Wittenberg. Izzy Thompson (New Albany, OH / New Albany) was credited with the win, despite the fact that she did not register a save. Essence Wyse (Lewis Center, OH / Olentangy) played 15 minutes and got credit for both of Wittenberg's saves in the game, and Caitlin Archdeacon (Saratoga, CA / Westmont) rounded things out with a clean sheet in 15 minutes.

Webber and Ripepi led Wittenberg with four shots each, followed by Groves with three and Lucy DeVita (Columbus, OH / Upper Arlington) and Claire Frient (Dublin, OH / Coffman) with two apiece.

Wittenberg will put the wraps on its season-opening Labor Day weekend road trip with a game at Wilson College on Sunday, September 1.