The 2005 Wittenberg women's lacrosse program enters the second season under Head Coach Katherine Haney with plenty of optimism following a year of transition. After a 2-8 record in 2004, the Tigers have some lofty expectations as they hope to improve on last year's record and re-establish themselves in the NCAC.
Leading the charge for the Tigers are a pair of seniors, one on offense and one on defense. On attack, Jenny Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman), a first-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference and third-team All-America selection in 2003, returns to help run the show as one of the team's captains. On the other end of the field, three-year starter and 2004 field hockey NCAC Defensive Player of the Year Carrie Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian) is the anchor and one of the team's captains.
Sophomore attacker Kari Thomas (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) is a key returning letterwinner after earning second-team All-NCAC and second-team All-Great Lakes Region. She and sophomore attacker Melissa Jackson (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) were the team's leading scorers in 2004.
Clare Bucheit makes a save.
Junior captain Emily Hiscar (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial), an All-NCAC honoree in both soccer and lacrosse (second-team) in 2004, will balance out the leadership in the midfield. She will be joined by several newcomers, including freshmen Amber Cupples (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster) and Emine Cirpili (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman), both of whom are expected to make significant contributions.
Happ and junior Ann Lutz (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville), transfer from Roanoke College, will spearhead the team's defensive effort in 2005.
In goal, sophomoreClare Bucheit (Cincinnati, Ohio/McAuley) is back in the fold after playing all 600 minutes for the Tigers in 2004. She stopped more than 51 percent of the shots she faced and earned second-team All-NCAC recognition following the season.