Lizzie Amorello
Setting the Scene:
The Wittenberg University women's lacrosse team experienced its fair share of growing pains as largely youthful squad finished the 2006 season 3-11 and 0-6 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC).
The season got off to a rough start as the Tigers played their first five games on the road, including three in Florida. After that trip, a coaching change took place and the team endured two more losses, this time in Virginia.
After dropping to 0-5, the Tigers showed remarkable resiliency as they won three straight on their home turf. Unfortunately, the winning streak ended there as strong NCAC competition proved too diffi cult for the Red and White, and they lost their fi nal six contests.
The Tigers did modestly improve upon some of the totals from the 2005 season, a six-win year. The 2006 squad averaged 10 goals per outing, an increase of one from the year before. The 2006 Tigers also gathered more assists, caused more turnovers, and shot a higher percentage on goal than the previous year's team. They did, however, take a step backward in the goals against department, as the 2006 defense gave up 13 goals per game compared to just over 11 in 2005.
Postseason Honors:
Freshman midfielder Lizzie Amorello (Sutton, Mass./Worcester Academy) and sophomore attacker Amber Cupples (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster) both received second-team All-NCAC awards.
Amorello knocked in 23 goals and five assists during the 2006 season, while Cupples also tallied 23 goals and added a team-high 26 assists, the third-highest total in school history and the second-highest total in the NCAC for 2006. Cupples also led the Tigers in ground balls (36), draw controls (31) and caused turnovers (17).
Junior attack Melissa Jackson (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington), who scored 52 points, including a team-best 43 goals, was named honorable mention All-NCAC. She was a second-team honoree in 2005.
Super Seniors:
The young and often inexperienced Tigers had their ups and downs throughout the 2006 campaign, but the leadership and encouragement of senior co-captains Emily Hiscar (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial) and Ann Lutz (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) never wavered.
Hiscar was a rarity in today's highly competitive sports world as she earned eight varsity letters between soccer and lacrosse over her four-year stint at Wittenberg. She leaves the lacrosse team with 12 career goals, 16 assists and 134 ground balls. She started all but three games over her four seasons, helping the team to 19 wins in the process.
Lutz, a transfer from Roanoke College, only played her junior and senior years for the Red and White, but she also left her mark. Lutz started every game in which she played while anchoring a defense that went up against some of the country's top teams. She notched 41 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers respectively.
Michelle Hanners
Youth Movement:
The Tigers were undoubtedly a young team in 2006, but many players emerged from the season more confi dent and prepared to not only contribute in the future, but to help lead Wittenberg into contention in the NCAC.
On the offensive end the Tigers are expected to return their top six point-scorers, including all-conference honorees Lizzie Amorello, Amber Cupples and Melissa Jackson. In addition, juniors Michelle Hanners (New Albany, Ohio/Columbus School for Girls) and Kari Thomas (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) and freshman Katie Radeackar (Cedar Hill, Mo./St. Louis Country Day School) combined for 28 goals and 17 assists in 2006. Two other freshmen midfielders Cait Mather (Mason, Ohio/Mason) and Megan Meige (Columbus, Ohio/DeSales) figure to complement the offensive attack in 2007 after posting a combined 24 points in their inaugural collegiate season.
Replacing Hiscar and Lutz in the defensive end will be no easy task for the Tigers, but yet again a young, motivated nucleus will return. Two starters - junior Lauren Bouton (Roswell, Ga./Roswell) and freshman Beth Vonderbrink (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) - will help control the defensive end. Bouton was among the team leaders in draw controls and caused turnovers, whereas Vonderbrink was second only to Cupples in ground balls and draw controls.
The Coach:
Assistant Women's Lacrosse/Head Field Hockey Coach Diana Kuser took the reins of the team three games into the 2006 season. In leading the Tigers to a 3-8 record the rest of the season, Kuser was assisted by Purnell and Associate Director of Athletics/Senior Woman Administrator Pam Smith.
Kuser replaced Katherine Haney, who tendered her resignation after an 0-3 start to the 2006 season. Haney had an 8-17 record in three seasons at the helm, and she also served as an assistant field hockey coach for three seasons.
Kuser came to Wittenberg in 2005 and served as head coach of the field hockey team last fall. She led a young Tiger team to a 10-8 record, including a mark of 8-4 in the North Coast Athletic Conference. That was good for a three-way tie for second place in the NCAC regular season standings.