Fall Sports Release 11/21/01

Wittenberg made its first counter-punch with 3:26 left in the first quarter as junior tailback Daniel Grove (Uhrichsville, Ohio/Claymont) rambled four yards to paydirt to knot the score at seven. The score capped an eight-play, 94-yard drive that was highlighted by a big pass play from junior quarterback Greg Cornett (Franklin, Ohio/Franklin) to senior wide receiver Michael Aljancic (Louisville, Ohio/Louisville).

Using its punishing ground game to churn up both minutes and yards, Grove powered into the end zone twice in the third quarter to tie the score again, scoring from 18 yards out with 10:52 left in the third quarter to cap a five-play, 68-yard drive and then scoring on a nifty 37-yard misdirection pass play with 2:28 left to culminate a six-play, 90-yard drive.

Grove, the North Coast Athletic Conference leader in scoring and touchdowns during the regular season, had three TDs in the game, the fifth straight time in 2001 that he has found the end zone at least three times. It was also the sixth straight 100-yard game for Grove.

The Tigers responded to yet another seven-point deficit with a 25-yard TD strike from Cornett to Aljancic six minutes later, capping a six-play, 60-yard drive that was set up by an interception by senior linebacker Nic Black (Piqua, Ohio/Piqua).

After HSU once again pulled ahead by a touchdown, the Tigers took over at their own 17-yard line, and offered yet another reply. This time, Wittenberg methodically worked the ball downfield and finally punched it in on fourth down on a five-yard scoring pass from Cornett to Aljancic. Sophomore kicker Conrad Hindert (Terrace Park, Ohio/Mariemont) tied the game with an extra point, setting the stage for overtime. The Tigers stopped the Cowboys on their first possession of overtime and then ran the ball three times to set up a game-winning 24-yard field goal by Hindert.

The win was Wittenberg's fourth straight in first-round NCAA Division III Playoffs. It was the second overtime game in school history, and the second time that the Tigers had prevailed against a favored playoff opponent in OT - the previous time being a 1988 first-round defeat of the University of Dayton. Grove finished with 170 yards on 32 rushes, Cornett wound up 18-of-29 for a career-high 315 yards and three touchdowns. And Aljancic had one of the greatest receiving days in Wittenberg history, snagging 10 passes for 214 yards and two scores.

Defensively, junior linebacker Andy Pope (Hamilton, Ohio/Lakota East) and senior defensive tackle Juan Howard (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster) each had 10 tackles to pace the Tigers, while Black had nine, including two for loss, and that all-important interception.

The Tigers, and many of their fans who were unable to make the long trip to Texas, now turn their attention to another school that Wittenberg has never faced on the gridiron, the Thomas More College Saints. Five-hundred tickets for the game will be on sale at Wittenberg from 5 p.m. until the end of the men's basketball game on Tuesday, Nov. 20 and from 5-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 21, in the HPER Center lobby.

The stadium at Thomas More offers just 1,000 seats in its limited bleachers area, with all seats being general admission. Ticket prices are $8 for adults and $4 for students and children under the age of 18. Gates open at 10 a.m. Anyone unable to find a seat will have to watch the game from lawn chairs that spectators are permitted to bring with them or by standing.

There will be a Wittenberg tailgate prior to the game, starting at 10 a.m. in the lawn area in front of the Connor Athletic Center on the Thomas More campus.

12 points and 10 boards against the victorious host team. He was joined in double figures in the opener by junior forward Kevin Longley (Vandalia, Ohio/Butler), who had 12 points and seven rebounds, and in the championship game by senior guard Chad Mossing (Maumee, Ohio/Holland Springfield) with 12 points and sophomore point guard Mark Borland (Kettering, Ohio/Archbishop Alter) with 18.

In the opener, the Tigers pulled away late in the game after trailing by six points at halftime. The Tigers shot a respectable 48.3 percent for the game, including a strong 55.6 in the second 20 minutes. But against Wheaton, the Tigers battled to a 72-72 tie, only to be outscored 5-0 in the final three minutes to fall to the host Tornadoes.

Next: 11/20 vs. Case Western Reserve

Women's Basketball (1-1, 0-0 NCAC)
Coach: Pam Smith (16th season)

Rolf

Campbell

The Tigers opened what they hope will be an historic season last weekend at the Kalamazoo Tip-Off Tournament. After dropping a 65-49 decision in the opener against Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Association power UW-Oshkosh on Friday, the Tigers rallied to defeat NCAC rival Earlham 109-68 in the consolation game on Saturday.

The Tigers, who have strung together 12 consecutive winning seasons under the steady direction of head coach Pam Smith, were ambushed in the opener, falling behind early in the second half and struggled offesnively, shooting just 23.5 percent for the game. Junior Kate Rolf (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Carroll) , the team leader in scoring and rebounding a year ago, led three double-figure scorers with 15 points.

The next day, the Tigers returned to the scene of the previous day's crime and rebounded with a strong offensive and defensive game, shutting down Earlham for a lop-sided victory. The Tigers were a sizzling 53.6 percent shooting from the field after racing out to a commanding 59-30 halftime lead. They were led by 14 points and eight rebounds from sophomore forward Geri Woessner (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood). In her first start, Woessner led both teams in both categories and paced five Tigers players in double figures.

Junior guard Stephanie Campbell (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeaster ) , who had 22 points in the two games, was named to the All-Tournament team.

Next: 11/20 vs. Baldwin-Wallace

Men's and Women's Swimming & Diving
Coach: Leslie Ramsey (first season)

Galliger

Bradley

Rader

Lazarus

The new season continued to be fruitful for the Tigers, who defeated visiting Oberlin in a dual meet at the HPER Center on Saturday. The men's victory, by a 133-75 score, improved the team to a sparkling 5-0 in duals. The women, who defeated Oberlin 137-79, are now 3-1-1.

Against the Yeomen, senior Jay Cross (Parma, Ohio/Parma) won both diving events, sophomore Alex Berger (Findlay, Ohio/Findlay) won the 50-yard freestyle, senior Bob Rafferty (Mt. Vernon, Ohio/Mt. Vernon) won the 100 free, sophomore Brandon Morris (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) won the 500 free and 1000 free, senior Jeremy Lazarus (Moens, France/Ferney-Voltaire) won the 200 breaststroke and sophomore Steve Rader (Painesville, Ohio/Cleveland St. Ignatius) won the 200 butterfly and 200 individual medley.

On the women's side, individual winners included sophomore in 1-meter diving, sophomore Holly Erickson (St. Paul, Minn./Central) in 3-meter diving, sophomore Courtney Galliger

(Eagan, Minn./Eagan) in the 50 free and 100 free, sophomore Nicole Kinzeler (Centerville, Ohio/Kettering Alter) in the 200 free, senior Elizabeth Bradley (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) in the 500 free and 1000 free, senior Paula Hauser (Mason, Ohio/Mt. Notre Dame) in the 200 breaststroke, senior Betsy Godin (Downingtown, Pa./Downingtown) in the 200 fly and junior Becky Barry (Rocky River, Ohio/Rocky River) in the 200 IM.

Next: 11/30-12/1 @ DePauw Invitational

Fall Postseason Awards

Keller

Russ

House

Mazzio

Cassiere

McDonald

Burlingame

Duh

Woessner

Suddes

Athletes on the Wittenberg volleyball, field hockey and men's and women's soccer teams all were rewarded for their efforts in the last week with a variety of postseason awards. A rundown thus far:

Volleyball
Wittenberg won its fifth straight outright regular season and tournament North Coast Athletic Conference championship in 2001, and to the victors often go the spoils. Junior Tiffany Keller (Massillon, Ohio/Tuslaw) , a middle hitter who topped the Tigers in blocks and was third in kills, was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Great Lakes Region team for the second straight year. She was joined on the all-region squad by freshman outside hitter Monica McDonald (Newark, Ohio/Catholic) , who led the team in kills. McDonald was named the Great Lakes Region Freshman of the Year for her performance.

Field Hockey
Wittenberg finished second in the NCAC with a school record-tying 10-2 record and a 13-6 overall mark (13-3 against Division III competition). Garnering the most postseason recognition is junior back Rebecca Russ (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart), who was named first-team All-NCAC, first-team All-Great Lakes Region and third-team All-America by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. Russ is the second Wittenberg player in as many years to earn third-team All-America, following the 2000 designation of Kelly McMullen.

A year after the Tigers placed five players on the first or second-team All-Great Lakes Region, Russ was joined on the first team in 2001 by freshman Amy Burlingame (Dennis, Mass./Yarmouth-Dennis), junior Emily Duh (Hellertown, Pa./Saucon Valley) and junior Heather House (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) . Sophomore Barb Keselman (Ann Arbor, Mich./Pioneer) and junior Cara Romanowski (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) were named to the second team.

Duh, Burlingame and Russ were named first-team All-NCAC, while Keselman and House took home second-team all-conference and senior Jess Martin (Powell, Ohio/Thomas Worthington) and Romanowski were named honorable mention.

Women's Soccer
The Tigers, who finished 7-7-3 overall and 4-3-1 in the ulta-tough NCAC, placed two players on the All-NCAC first-team, including freshman midfielder Katie Mazzio (Wilmington, Del./A.I. duPont), who was named conference Newcomer of the Year. It was the second straight year that a Tiger player earned the award. Last year's nominee, sophomore forward Geri Woessner

(Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood), claimed first-team All-NCAC honors for a second straight year after leading the Tigers in scoring with eight goals and six assists.

Making second team was sophomore forward Jill Rekers (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) , who was second on the team with seven goals and 1.06 points per game. Honorable mention recognition wen to senior midfielder Emily Gersbach (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) and sophomore goalkeeper Jenny Miller (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mother of Mercy).

Men's Soccer
Following another solid winning season, one in which the Tigers finished 10-7-1 overall and 4-5 in the tough NCAC, Wittenberg placed two players on the first-team All-NCAC squad. Sophomore forward Taggart Suddes (Ostrander, Ohio/Dublin Coffman), who led the team and NCAC with 12 goals, 10 assists and 1.89 points per game, and senior midfielder Steve Cassiere (Cincinnati, Ohio/Turpin) were both first-time selections. Cassiere had twice been selected to either second team or honorable mention in previous seasons, but this was his inaugural appearance on the first team.