Tigers Stellar On Both Ends Of Field In Key Win Over Hiram

Matt Borland

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers put the finishing touches on their best week of the 2006 season Saturday, taking the measure of visiting Hiram, 3-0.

Wittenberg remained alive for a berth in the North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament with the win, which evened the Tigers' record at 7-7-2 overall and 3-3-1 in the league. Wittenberg has a pair of road games remaining on the schedule - at Earlham on Wednesday and at Allegheny on Saturday. A loss in either game likely knocks the Tigers out of a second consecutive postseason appearance.

The Tigers got a fine game from both the offense and the defense in this one, which featured a fairly wide open game with several quality scoring opportunities for each team. In goal, junior Ben McAnnis-Entenman (Portland, Ore./Cleveland) had perhaps his finest game of the 2006 season, turning away five shots, including a pair from point-blank range and another from the top of the box that required extension of every inch of his 6-5 frame.

Offensively, the Tigers got a tremendous performance from sophomore Matt Borland (Kettering, Ohio/Alter), who controlled the action from the midfield forward and created scoring chance after scoring chance. He cashed in twice himself - once in each half - while sophomore Shane Price (Minford, Ohio/Minford) was the recipient of a perfect pass for a breakaway on the third score. Freshman Michael Condon (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) and sophomore Justin Jenkins (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) were credited with the assists.

Wittenberg outshot Hiram 20-14 for the game. The Terriers were charged with five yellow cards in the second half alone, although the Tigers were whistled for more fouls, 17-10.