Tigers Open NCAC Play With Big Win Over Kenyon

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - It took more than 15 minutes to break the ice, but once the Wittenberg offense got rolling, the Tigers streaked past visiting Kenyon 19-9 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) opener for both teams.

The win pushed the Tigers to 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the NCAC. It marked Wittenberg's 23rd straight NCAC regular season victory, dating back to the end of the 2011 season.

Kenyon, which lost for the first time in six outings in 2015, held the upper hand for much of the opening 15 minutes, but Wittenberg's defense held firm. At the 14:47 mark, the Tigers finally cashed in on a counter-attack, with freshman Victoria Zysik (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) cashing in off a feed from junior Carrie Kubasta (Medina, Ohio/Medina).

That score opened the floodgates, as Wittenberg tallied six more times before halftime to take a commanding 7-1 lead into the intermission. Kenyon responded, however, with four straight goals to open the second half and force a Wittenberg timeout just three minutes in.

Whatever was said in the huddle must have helped calm the Tigers, who scored the next six goals to break the game open again. Kenyon could get no closer than six the rest of the way.

Wittenberg's offense was paced by senior Logan Warye (Maineville, Ohio/Kings) and sophomore Becca Joseph (Toledo, Ohio/St. Ursula) with matching score lines of five goals and two assists. Warye now has 165 career goals - seven short of the school record - and 217 points, which matches the school record held jointly by Kati Robbins (1998-01) and Jodi Bennyhoff (1987-90).

Zysik added one goal and two assists, junior Olivia Lash (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights) and senior Megan Loofbourrow (Prospect, Ky./Ballard) each contributed two goals, senior Beth Hubbard (West Hartford, Conn./Notre Dame de Sion (Mo.)) finished with four goals, and Kubasta dished out five assists, which was one shy of the single-game school record.

Warye led with six draw controls and Kubasta was tops with two caused turnovers. Junior goalkeeper Katie Reuter (Cleveland, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) led the Tigers in ground balls with three, in addition to making eight saves between the pipes.

Written By: Ryan Maurer