Posted by: Ryan Maurer

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Emilie Schmid

Lindsay Nelson

The Tiger volleyball team posted a second-place finish in the Washington University National Invitational last week, but this wasn't any ordinary runner-up finish. The competition featured five nationally ranked teams and was hosted by perennial national power and preseason No. 4 ranked Washington University, and Wittenberg lost just one of four matches in taking the second-place trophy.

After finishing runner-up in tournaments at Mount St. Joseph and West Florida each of the last two weeks, the Tigers nearly posted their biggest win in the program's history in the opener, losing 3-2 to the host team after taking a 2-0 lead. Leading the charge for the Tigers were the usual dynamic sophomore duo of setter Sarah Yuskewich (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson) with 55 assists and Monica McDonald (Newark, Ohio/Catholic) with 27 kills.

The Tigers regrouped after the setback to win three straight matches in dominating fashion. Against Ohio Northern, the 2001 Ohio Athletic Conference champion and the team that ended Wittenberg's season a year ago in the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Regional Tournament, the Tigers captured a convincing 3-1 victory. In addition to Yuskewich's usual excellence, the trio of McDonald, Teresa Murphy (Blacklick, Ohio/Newark Catholic) and Lindsay Nelson (Massillon, Ohio/Tuslaw) combined to put away 56 kills.

The Tigers just kept getting better from there, winning the next two matches, 3-0. Central, which has combined with Washington University to win 10 of the last 12 national titles, was the next victim. Rounding things out, a third straight nationally ranked foe, Puget Sound, was vanquished by a 3-0 count. Yuskewich was again prominent on the statistics sheet, and she was ably assisted by Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson), who contributed 13 digs.

Yuskewich, who leads the NCAC in assists at 13.77 per game, was named to the Washington University National Invitational All-Tournament, the third straight week she has been so honored. McDonald, who tops the conference in kills at 4.79 per game, also earned all-tournament team recognition.

North Coast Athletic Conference action gets underway this weekend as Allegheny and Kenyon come calling in a triangular, following a non-conference match-up opposite perennial national power DePauw. Wittenberg has not lost a conference match since 1997.

Next: 9/19 @ DePauw, 6:30 p.m.

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Emily Duh

Jen Meyer

The 14th-ranked Tiger field hockey team continued its early-season domination, breaking out to a 6-0 start for a third consecutive year under Head Coach Marianne Beshara. The Tigers, who have never had a losing record at any time in Beshara's three seasons at the helm, have the most wins of any team in the nation.

Against Denison last Tuesday, the Tigers simply took the action to one of the preseason North Coast Athletic Conference favorites. Senior forward Emily Duh (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley) had a hat trick, three times driving down the right side of the field and striking a hard shot into the Big Red goal. Junior Katie Babcock (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) and sophomore Deb Muller (Weston, Conn./The Morgan School) combined for the other goal as the Tigers took an early advantage in the race for the NCAC title.

Against visiting DePauw on Saturday, the teams went into halftime with the score tied at 1-1 after a first period goal by Duh. But Wittenberg blew the game open in the second half with Duh's second of the game and eighth of the still-young season. Babcock and Muller also added goals to the offensive effort.

For her exploits last week, Emily Duh was named NCAC Player of the Week. It was the second time she has received such an honor.

Duh leads the NCAC in scoring at 3.33 points per game, goals with eight and assists with four. Just as important for the Tigers, however, has been the outstanding play of a defensive unit that has allowed just three goals all season and only one score in four games against NCAA Division III opponents. Sophomore goaltender Jen Meyer (Solon, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) tops the conference with a save percentage of .917 and four shutouts. She is protected by a veteran defense that includes seniors Heather House (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood), Jill Hobelman (St. Louis, Mo./Villa Duchesne) and Rebecca Russ (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart).

Next: 9/21 @ Oberlin, 2 p.m.

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Allen D'Andrea

Daniel Grove

The Tiger football team took care of business last Saturday night at Urbana, rallying from a slow start to defeat the host Blue Knights 37-10. It was the third straight year that Wittenberg had met its neighboring educational institution on the gridiron and the third straight year that the Tigers came away with a decisive victory.

In the first American Football Coaches Association poll released today, the Tigers were ranked No. 4 in the nation. Last year, Wittenberg finished the year ranked No. 7.

Urbana had the ball for the first eight minutes of the game, and the long drive led to a 20- yard field goal and the first lead the Blue Knights have ever held against Wittenberg. It didn't last long, however, as senior tailback Daniel Grove (Urichsville, Ohio/Claymont) went to work immediately, buidling on his four-touchdown performance against Albion in the season opener to score on a 22-yard sprint. Grove went on to top the 100-yard mark in rushing for a sixth straight time in the regular season and ninth consecutive time including playoffs, both Wittenberg records.

Grove added another six points two minutes into the second quarter and senior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) hooked up with sophomore fullback Raymar Hampshire (Lima, Ohio/Elida) for a eight-yard score a few minutes later to build the lead to 21-3. The defense came up with the game's biggest play after Urbana had drawn to 21-10. Senior defensive end Allen D'Andrea (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) pressured the Urbana quarterback and forced an errant pass that fell into the waiting arms of senior safety Andy Waddle (Enon, Ohio/Greenon), who was stopped one yard short of the promised land. Hampshire got his second score of the game on the next playwith a short plunge over the line.

Sophomore Jacob Thomas (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany) added a field goal and Grove added to his phenomenal early-season scoring barrage with a 67-yard dash.

A rare in-season off week approaches this Saturday and one final non-conference game awaits on September 28 at Thomas More. Last year, Wittenberg traveled to Kentucky and defeated the Saints 41-0 in the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament. NCAC action opens on October 5 against Denison on Parents Weekend in Springfield.

Next: 9/28 at Thomas More, 1:30 p.m.

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Jesse King

It was another tough week for the Tiger men's soccer team, which dropped another road game, this time at Mount Vernon Nazarene on Saturday by a 2-1 score in overtime.

Freshman Jesse King (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) had the Tigers' lone goal, a first-half tally that put Wittenberg ahead until just five minutes remained in the game. A goal at that time sent the game to overtime and Mount Vernon Nazarene captured the win with a long pass and point blank shot with four minutes remaining in overtime to claim the win.

A final week of preparation for the NCAC now approaches, beginning with a September 17 home game against Muskingum, a busy weekend at the Wilmington Invitational, where the Tigers square off with Washington & Jefferson and Wheaton, and then a road game against the Quakers next Wednesday.

Next: 9/17 vs. Muskingum, 4 p.m.

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Rachel Ridgeway

Close but no cigar. Tiger women's soccer Head Coach Norm Riker hasn't enjoyed a stogie all year as a result.

Already the owners of three 1-0 losses in the 2002 season, the Tigers' frustration grew a little more at Transylvania on Saturday in a 2-0 loss. Sophomore midfielder Rachel Ridgeway (Montclair, NJ/The Taft School) did fire five shots toward the opponents' goal, but she never found the mark. Defensively, both Tiger goalkeepers yielded one score. Sophomore Eileen Quinn (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South) had five saves and junior Jenny Miller (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) had four.

Non-conference action continues this week with a home game against Muskingum on Wednesday before NCAC action commences with a road game at Hiram on Saturday.

Next: 9/18 vs. Muskingum, 4 p.m.

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Nick Dewald

Abi Gerstle

Another week, another solid meet and a number of fine individual results at the Cedarville University Friendship Invitational at John Bryan State Park in Yellow Springs.

On the men's side, the Tigers finished sixth in a field that didn't include another Division III team. Senior Nick Dewald (Mansfield, Ohio/Senior) led the way for the Tigers with a 29th-place finish in a season-best time of 28:04.82. Freshman John Compton (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee) and Caleb Arnold (Enon, Ohio/Greenon) were next with finishes of 34th and 35th. Both runners posted personal best times as they adjust to the longer courses used by collegiate athletes.

Junior Tim Damopoulos (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) claimed 37th in a season-best time of 29:15.25 and freshman Chris Petrik (Highland Heights, Ohio/Mayfield) rounded out Wittenberg's scorers with a 39th place finish, also in a personal-best time.

On the women's side, senior Abi Gerstle (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) was in her customary position in front of the Tiger pack. She put up a time of 19:21.29, a 20-second drop from the previous week when she posted a then-course record. Gerstle placed ninth and led the Tigers to a sixth-place finish as a team in a field devoid of other Division III teams.

Sophomore Lindsay Veit (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota East) was next for the Tigers with a 26th-place finish in a personal best time of 21:15.38. Freshman Anna Finkelstein (Whitehall, Mich./Reeths-Puffer) finished 33rd, sophomore Marissa Davoll (Cincinnati, Ohio/Anderson) wound up 35th and junior Libby Weaver (Portland, Ind./Jay County) took 39th to round out the team's top five scorers.

The Tigers are off the next two weekends before making their annual trek to the huge Loyola Lakefront Invitational on Oct. 5.

Next: 10/5 at Loyola (Ill.) Lakefront Invitational