Raymar Hampshire

With just nine starters and 24 letterwinners back in the fold, nothing about the 2003 season was too clear for the Tiger football program when preseason practices began. Things are much clearer after the Tigers opened with a 34-7 win over Albion and a 38-12 victory over Urbana.

Against Albion, the Tigers were outstanding from the outset, driving 60 yards on 10 plays on their first drive to set the tone with a one-yard Raymar Hampshire (Lima, Ohio/Elida) plunge into the end zone. The rest of the first half was dominated by Wittenberg's defense and special teams as the Tigers allowed just 87 total yards and scored a second TD on a blocked punt recovered by freshman Ryan McCoart (Fairborn, Ohio/Fairborn). Conrad Hindert (Terrace Park, Ohio/Mariemont) added a pair of 37-yard field goals.

In the second half, Wittenberg again controlled the action. Hampshire scored his second touchdown of the day in the third stanza and freshman Joe Brumfield (Springfield, Ohio/Kenton Ridge) scored on a fourth-down play in the fourth quarter.

Individually, Wittenberg got 99 yards on 13 carries from Hampshire, 83 yards on 17 carries from Brumfield and 62 yards on 12 totes for sophomore starting tailback Adam Hewitt (Piqua, Ohio/Lehman Catholic). Junior quarterback Ryan Holmes (Oxford, Ohio/Talawanda) was an efficient 13-of-22 for 148 yards in his first college start. Among his receivers, sophomore Jered Glover (Middletown, Ohio/Middletown) caught five passes for 40 yards and senior Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) hauled in three passes for 53 yards.

Defensively, Wittenberg was paced by sophomore safety Yusef Abdul-Zahir (Canton, Ohio/McKinley) and senior linebacker Gary George (Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian) with nine tackles each. Freshman linebacker Serge Thebaud (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast) had a fantastic debut with seven tackles and the blocked punt that led to the touchdown.

In recognition of his performance against Albion, Raymar Hampshire was named NCAC Offensive Player of the Week.

Against Urbana, the Tigers overcame a slow start to pull away for a 38-12 victory.

Wittenberg took the opening kickoff 55 yards in 11 plays and scored the game's first three points on a Hindert 33-yard field goal. Down 12-3 after struggling to score the rest of the first half, Glover got the Tigers moving back in the right direction as he caught a screen pass that covered 42 yards to the end zone with just 53 seconds remaining before halftime.

In the second half, the Tigers looked like a different team, yielding just 59 yards to Urbana's offense and scoring 28 unanswered points. Wittenberg took the lead on a 42-yard touchdown hook-up between Ivery and Holmes in the third quarter. Hampshire went 31 yards for a touchdown, Ivery added a 38-yard TD reception from Holmes and freshman fullback Tyler Harmon (Indianapolis, Ind./Perry Meridian) recovered a Hampshire fumble in the end zone. Harmon had set that score up with a 54-yard run.

Wittenberg outgained Urbana 437-200 for the game, although the Blue Knights had the ball for more minutes. Individually, Hampshire finished with 158 yards on 20 attempts, both career highs. Holmes was efficient again, completing 12 of his 20 pass attempts for 195 yards and three touchdowns. Ivery had six catches for 107 yards and Glover added 67 yards on three receptions.

Defensively, Abdul-Zahir, who finished with 15 tackles and one tackle for loss, was the star of the game. Defensive tackle Jarrett Brown (Columbus, Ohio/St. Charles) was also outstanding with nine tackles, including three for a loss of 17 yards.

In recognition of his performance against Urbana, Abdul-Zahir was named NCAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Wittenberg returns to action on Sept. 27 against Thomas More, a final nonconference game before the NCAC schedule commences on Oct. 4. The Tigers are ranked in the top 20 in all three weekly polls, including No. 11 in the first American Football Coaches Association poll.

Next: 9/27 vs. Thomas More, 1 p.m.

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Sarah Yuskewich

Through three weeks of the 2003 season, the Tiger volleyball program has once against established itself as one of the best in the nation. Competing against one of the most challenging schedules in the nation, Wittenberg has posted a solid 6-4 record despite injuries to top players Monica McDonald (Newark, Ohio/Catholic) and Linda Young (Minster, Ohio/Minster).

In the season-opening Wittenberg National Invitational I, the Tigers defeated John Carroll 3-0 before losing to NAIA scholarship program Georgetown (Ky.) 3-1 and preseason NCAA Division III No. 2 ranked Juniata 3-1.

The second weekend of the 2003 season included two wins in three matches at the Ohio Northern Invitational. Wittenberg won their opener against the 12th-ranked host Polar Bears, 3-1, before losing the next match against another nationally ranked foe, Mount St. Joseph, 3-0. On Saturday, Wittenberg rebounded to post wins over Muskingum, a 2002 NCAA Division III Tournament team, and Franklin by identical 3-0 scores.

Last weekend, the Tigers went to Washington University in St. Louis and came away with another impressive set of results. On Friday, Wittenberg upset defending national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater, 3-1. On Saturday, the Tigers defeated seventh-ranked Central (Iowa) 3-0 before falling to the top-ranked host team 3-0 in the final match of the weekend.

With 443 assists on the still-young season, junior setter Sarah Yuskewich (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson), who broke the NCAA Division III record for assists in a season with 2,125 in the 2002 season, broke the school record for assists in a career. At her current pace, she has an excellent chance to reach the NCAA Division III record for assists in a career.

Yuskewich leads the NCAC in assists per game by a wide margin at 13.03. Junior middle hitter Kristin Fox (Galion, Ohio/Galion) is second in the conference and first on the team in kills per game at 3.74. Junior Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) tops the NCAC in digs per game by a wide margin at 7.68. Yuskewich and Schmid both rank among the top 10 in the nation in their respective categories.

Next: 9/20 at Kenyon, 1 p.m.
9/20 vs. Allegheny, 3 p.m.

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Blair Ufer

The defending NCAC regular season and tournament champions are in rebuilding mode, and playing a very difficult nonconference schedule hasn't made that process easy. Still, the Tigers have pulled out two wins in their last four games and hope to build on the momentum of a 3-1 victory over Earlham on Wednesday as they head into the heart of the 2003 conference schedule.

The season opened for the Tigers with a very challenging road trip at McDaniel, which opened the season ranked No. 6 in the nation, and York, which is in the upper echelon of one of the best field hockey conferences in the nation. The results were losses by scores of 3-0 and 3-1 for the Tigers, who graduated one of the best senior classes in school history in May.

Wittenberg rebounded upon their return to the friendly confines of Edwards-Maurer Field, claiming a 2-1 overtime win over Sewanee on Sept. 6. Junior Blair Ufer (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) scored the game-winner in overtime and freshman Katy Barrett (Powell, Ohio/Watterson) scored the game's first goal.

NCAC action opened the next week and the Tigers were defeated 5-1 by Denison and 2-0 by Oberlin in road games against two of the top four teams in the preseason poll. Junior Ashley Smith (Pittsford, NY/Menden) had the Tigers' lone goal of the road trip.

Wittenberg picked up a much-needed home victory on Wednesday over Earlham. In that game, goals were scored by Ufer, senior Katie Babcock (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) and freshman Melissa Jackson (Columbus, Ohio/Thomas Worthington), with assists contributed by Barrett, freshman Rachel Dunn (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) and junior Carrie Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian).

For the season, Ufer leads with five total points as the Tigers search for the offensive production lost when record-setting forward Emily Duh graduated. Defensively, the team is replacing three starters who protected All-America goaltender Jen Meyer (Solon, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) so well, leading to 15 goals against, already one more than all of the 2002 regular season.

No rest for the weary, however, as the Tigers head back into NCAC competition at Wooster on Saturday. The Scots are the preseason favorite after finishing second to Wittenberg in 2002.

Next: 9/20 at Wooster, 2 p.m.

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Andy Stewart

A young team in search of an offense after heavy graduation losses continues to grow and find itself against a very challenging nonconference schedule. The Tiger men's soccer team has competed well and has now won two of its last four games and has hopefully found its offensive stride.

Of Wittenberg's five losses in the early going, four have been by one goal and the other was by a 2-0 margin. The Tigers opened the campaign with a pair of narrow defeats against NAIA scholarship programs in the Wittenberg Invitational Aug. 30-31. In the opener, Wittenberg lost 2-1 to Walsh, despite a game-tying second-half goal by freshman David Caputo (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) off a pass from sophomore Andy Stewart (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne). In the second game of the weekend, the Tigers lost 2-0 to Ohio Dominican.

The next weekend featured two more home games and the results were mixed once again. On Saturday, against perennial national power DePauw, the Tigers fell 2-1 despite a game-tying second-half goal by freshman Sebastian Missura (Quito, Ecuador/American School) off an assist from freshman Ian Acker (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington). On Sunday, Wittenberg finally got into the win colum with a 1-0 shutout of Rose-Hulman as sophomore Isaac Boye-Arthur (Tema, Ghana/St. Peter's Secondary) had the goal and senior Matt Sharp (Mainville, Ohio/Middletown Fenwick) recorded six saves for the shutout.

On Sept. 9, the Tigers dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to neighboring rival Cedarville and on Sept. 13, Wittenberg fell again by a 3-2 margin, this time to Mount Vernon Nazarene. Both programs are members of NAIA and offer athletic grants-in-aid.

Hopefully, the season's momentum turned in a Sept. 17 win at Muskingum. In the 2-1 victory, the Tigers scored the first goal of the game for just the second time this year as freshman David Ross (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) scored off a feed from sophomore Matt Berry (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe). The game-winner was scored late in the game by Stewart off an assist from Caputo.

Wittenberg plays its fifth game of the season against NAIA competition on Sunday when the Tigers visit Urbana. After a Wednesday game against perennial powerhouse Wilmington at home, the Tigers head into NCAC action. The conference features a host of strong programs again this year, including nationally ranked outfits at Ohio Wesleyan, Allegheny and Denison.

Next: 9/21 at Urbana, 2 p.m.

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Geri Woessner

The Tiger women's soccer team has had an up-and-down start to the 2003 season, but the momentum, despite injuries to several key players, seems to be in the positive direction after two straight wins to carry the team back to the .500 mark.

The latest win was perhaps the biggest among the three so far this season, a 1-0 victory on the road at Wilmington on Thursday. Senior Geri Woessner (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) scored the game's lone goal on a second-half breakaway against a team that is perennially at the top of the Ohio Athletic Conference and involved in the NCAA Division III Tournament. Senior goaltender Jenny Miller (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy) recorded the shutout.

Wittenberg opened the season with an impressive win over a 2002 NCAA Division III Tournament team, Mount St. Joseph, on Aug. 29. Also a road game, the Tigers dominated action throughout to gain a 2-0 victory on goals by Woessner and freshman Liz Volz (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton).

After that opening win, the Tigers lost three straight one-goal decisions. First came a 2-1 loss at Capital on Aug. 31, followed by a 1-0 home defeat against nationally ranked DePauw on Sept. 6 and a 2-1 defeat against Rose-Hulman on Sept. 7. Sophomore Lindsey Zigler (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington) scored the Tigers' lone goals during that stretch.

Zigler scored the game-tying goal in a 2-2 tie against Mount Union on Sept. 13. Junior Meredith Belser (Bay Village, Ohio/Bay) had the Tigers' first goal in that game.

Since then, the Tigers have posted back-to-back victories over quality foes, beginning with a 1-0 victory over NAIA scholarship program Ohio Dominican on Tuesday. Freshman Mandie Dimenna (Blacklick, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) scored the game's lone goal in the first half off an assist from sophomore Melissa Gallion (West Jefferson, Ohio/West Jefferson).

For the season, Zigler leads the offense with three goals in the first seven games, while Woessner, the team's leading scorer each of the last three years, has five total points with two goals and an assist. Defensively, the Tigers are getting great work out of Miller, who has a goals against average of just over one per game.

The Tigers now have a fun and interesting weekend ahead of them. They travel to eastern Pennsylvania for a Sunday game at Susquehanna. Before they play, however, the team will get the rare and exciting opportunity to attend a Women's World Cup doubleheader in Philadelphia on Saturday. Wittenberg will see games between Norway and France and Nigeria and Korea.

Next: 9/21 at Susquehanna , 1 p.m.

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Tracy Butler

The Tiger men's and women's cross country teams are off to a solid start to the 2003 season after two competitions, including the annual Wittenberg Invitational last Saturday at John Bryan State Park in Yellow Springs. The season opened at the non-scored University of Dayton Invitational on Aug. 30.

Wittenberg finished second among three men's teams in its own invitational and third among four women's teams. NAIA scholarship program Cedarville won both men's and women's, while NAIA scholarship program Rio Grande had a full complement of women in the event and enough points to claim second place. Both Wittenberg teams finished ahead of Capital in the meet.

Two women and four men posted career-best times in the Wittenberg Invitational, and every runner on both teams improved their times from the season's first meet. Leading the way for the women was senior Becky Barnes (Williamsport, Ohio/Westfall), who claimed seventh place with a personal-best time for a 5-kilometer race. The rest of the scorers in the home meet were sophomore Anna Finkelstein (Whitehall, Mich./Reeths-Puffer), freshman Sarah Yehle (West Lafayette, Ind./West Lafayette), senior Nikki Norcia (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) and freshman Meredith Deitsch (Edgerton, Ohio/Edgerton), all of whom finished in the top 25.

Among the men, the leaders were sophomores Chris Petrik (Highland Heights, Ohio/Mayfield Heights), who claimed 11th place, and John Compton (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee), who was 12th. Senior Tim Damopoulos (Grove City, Ohio/Grove City) finished 15th, senior Jeff Domingus (London, Ohio/London) claimed 16th and freshman Jansen Wehrley (Medina, Ohio/Medina) posted his best time as a collegian in taking 18th and rounding out the scorers for the Tigers.

At the Dayton meet, sophomore Tracy Butler (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) placed 18th to lead the Tigers. Wittenberg was the only NCAA Division III squad in a field that included teams from Cincinnati, Dayton, Miami and Wright State. Butler covered the soggy 5000-meter course in 20:58.

The Tigers are back on their home course this Saturday for the Cedarville Invitational. The nationally ranked Yellow Jackets are hosting eight races during the day, starting with college division competitions at 10 a.m.

Next: 9/20 at Cedarville Invitational