Tigers Pounce On Oberlin, 13-2
A first-half shutout was just what the Wittenberg Tigers needed as they cruised to a 13-2 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) victory at Oberlin.
OBERLIN, Ohio — A first-half shutout was just what the Wittenberg Tigers needed as they cruised to a 13-2 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) victory at Oberlin.
The win was Wittenberg's second in a row and moved the Tigers to 7-3 overall and 1-1 in the NCAC, heading into the most important three-game stretch of the 2012 season. Over the next 18 days, Wittenberg will host nationally ranked Denison on April 14 and Wooster on April 21, followed by a road trip to perennial powerhouse Ohio Wesleyan on April 25. Hopes of extending the Tigers' two-year string of NCAC titles and NCAA Division III Tournament berths rests upon the outcome of the three games.
Against Oberlin, the Tigers came out on fire, outshooting the Yeomen 14-1 en route to a 5-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. That set the stage for a dominating performance by Wittenberg, which did not get a save from senior goalkeeperSpencer Baker (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) until the second half after compiling a 7-0 halftime advantage. Baker turned away eight Oberlin shots overall.
For the game, the Tigers outshot Oberlin 33-23 and picked 35 ground balls to 20 for the Yeomen. The combination of senior Elliot Avis (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids) and freshman Riley Boehm (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie)combined to win 12 of 17 face-offs in the contest.
Freshman Andrew Morrison (Columbus, Ohio/Hilliard Davidson) led the offense with three goals and an assist, while three players added two goals apiece — freshman Brandon Keiser (Reistertown, Md./Park School), sophomore Jack Bornhofen (Peachtree City, Ga./McIntosh) and freshman Sean Kelleher (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest). Also of note was the play of freshman Lewis Thompson (Sandy Hook, Conn./Newtown), who dished out three assists.
Baker led both teams with five ground balls, while five other Tigers finished with three pick-ups each — sophomore Jacob Gilbert (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman), Avis, senior William Emery (Columbus, Ohio/Wellington School), freshman Ryan Spitzer (Lincolnshire, Ill./Stevenson) and senior Jim Ferris (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids).