Jamie McIntyre

The Wittenberg women's soccer team isn't just in search of respectability in 2004. Now in their third year under the direction of Head Coach Norm Riker, the Tigers may be poised to take the next step and compete for first place in the always challenging North Coast Athletic Conference.

It won't be easy, considering the fact that the roster is once again filled with underclassmen (22 of the 28 players are freshmen and sophomores), and the team's leading scorer and goaltender both graduated last spring. But Riker is confident that the talent level and overall depth in the program have greatly improved. If both are true, then Wittenberg may in fact be ready to challenge such perennial powerhouse programs as Ohio Wesleyan, Denison, Allegheny and Wooster, the top four teams in the NCAC a year ago.

Offensively, the Tigers return two of the players who reached double figures in scoring a year ago, junior Lindsay Zigler (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) and sophomore Lucia Cornett (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills). Zigler will be joined at the forward position by three other returning letterwinners: sophomore Liz Volz (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton), who scored three points in the first two games in 2003 before suffering a season-ending injury, junior Melissa Gallion (West Jefferson, Ohio/West Jefferson) and sophomore Aimee Erney (Columbus, Ohio/Hartley); and seven newcomers: Lisa Rusch (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne),Stephanie Sharp, Amanda Farrell, Megan Hauser (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson),Abby Vanderbosch (Delaware, Ohio/Hayes), Sydney Bates (Loveland, Ohio/Milford) and Kelly Kreiger (Fairborn, Ohio/Chaminade-Julienne).

Phoebe Gaston

In the midfield, the anchors are two-time all-conference choice Emily Hiscar (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial), a junior captain, and Cornett. Senior Rachel Ridgeway (Montclair, NJ/The Taft School (Conn.)), a former All-NCAC honoree, is also back after missing the 2003 season due to an academic internship, as is sophomore Courtney Burchett (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central), who earned a letter in 2003. Joining them are newcomers Amy Meige (Columbus, Ohio/St. Francis DeSales), Melissa Ketterman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) and Lindsey Rusch (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne).

Defensively, the Tigers are led by four returning letterwinners, including all-conference selections Jamie McIntyre (Columbus, Ohio/Grandview) and Phoebe Gaston (Cincinnati, Ohio/Northwest), both sophomores. In addition, senior captain Meredith Belser and sophomoreLauren Fraley (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy) started all 19 games a year ago, and sophomore Emily Stover (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley) is back after earning her first collegiate letter in 2003. They are joined by newcomers Stacy Fennell (Dayton, Ohio/Huber Heights Wayne), Rachel Morgan (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) andAbby Johnson (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy).

Rounding things out, senior Eileen Quinn (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook South) and freshman Meghan O'Rourke (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) figure to share time in goal for the Tigers this year. Quinn shared starting duties in 2001 and 2002 but didn't play last season. Erney will also see some time in goal in 2004.