Women's Basketball
2004-05 News Releases
All Releases Written By: Ryan Maurer
Director of Sports Information
E-Mail: rmaurer@wittenberg.edu
April 4, 2005
Fifty Years After Bill Edwards' Homecoming, Wittenberg Athletic Department Continues TraditionSPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Wittenberg University athletic department of 2005 hardly resembles the Wittenberg University athletic department of 50 years ago. The watershed moment that changed the Wittenberg athletic landscape forever occurred on April 3, 1955, with the most important hiring in the department's illustrious history. Read More ...
March 7, 2005
Winter Sports Athletes Claim 15 North Coast Athletic Conference Postseason AwardsSPRINGFIELD, Ohio — An outstanding winter sports season has come to a close for the 2004-05 school year, but not before 15 Wittenberg University student-athletes reaped rich rewards for their efforts as they were selected to All-North Coast Athletic Conference teams. Read More ...
March 4, 2005
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Joyce Dindo
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The Big Red went on to win the title and advance to this week's NCAA Division III Tournament, while Wittenberg concluded the season with a 17-10 overall record after finishing 12-4 in the NCAC regular season and tying with Denison for second place.
After shooting well in their final regular season game, a win at Ohio Wesleyan on Feb. 19, and in their NCAC Tournament quarterfinal win over Wooster on Feb. 22, the Tigers appeared to have some momentum going. However, the Denison did the job defensively, shutting Wittenberg down to the tune of 27 percent shooting from the field, including a 1-of-16 performance from three-point range, in a 56-43 win over the Tigers in a game played at Kenyon.
Several short scoring runs by Denison made the difference in this game, including a 12-6 burst to close the first half and take a commanding 33-24 advantage into the halftime locker room. In the second half, Denison put the game away with a 9-0 run that pushed the lead out to 51-37 with 5:59 remaining.
Shooting percentage was the difference, especially since Wittenberg grabbed six more rebounds and committed one less turnover. The Tigers were harrassed into just 7-of-35 shooting from the field in the second half as no Tiger player with four or more shot attempts in the game finished above 50 percent.
The final numbers showed just one Tiger player in double figures offensively, freshman guard Ellie Stonecash (Springboro, Ohio/Middletown Fenwick) with 11 points in 15 minutes off the bench. Senior guard Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) added nine points, and junior post Joyce Dindo (Akron, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) was the most effective Tiger interior player with four points and a game-high seven rebounds.
This week brought some better news for the Tigers as the 2005 All-NCAC awards were handed out. Sophomore post Kathy Hittle (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville), the team's leader in scoring and rebounding, took second-team honors and Schmid capped her phenomenal collegiate career with honorable mention honors, her first career award in basketball after earning second-team All-America in volleyball following the 2004 season.
Next: Season Complete
March 2, 2005
All-NCAC Women's Basketball Squad AnnouncedCLEVELAND, Ohio — Denison senior wing Emma Woodward (Thornville, OH/Lakewood) has been named Player of the Year to highlight the 2005 All-North Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball squad, announced today after voting by the conference's head coaches. Read More ...
February 25, 2005
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Megan Miller
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For the first time in four years, the tournament is not hosted by Wittenberg. Kenyon, regular season champions for the first time in nearly a decade with a 14-2 NCAC regular season record, is the host, and the Ladies will face fifth-seeded Ohio Wesleyan at 7:45 p.m. Friday in the other semifinal.
Wittenberg advanced to the tournament semifinals for the 16th straight year (every year since joining the league in 1989) with a 73-51 win over sixth-seeded Wooster on Tuesday. It was Wittenberg's seventh win in the last eight games to improve to 17-9 overall after finishing 12-4 in the NCAC regular season.
Trailing 21-13, Wittenberg went on a 24-6 run over the final 11 minutes of the first half to check into the locker room with a 10-point halftime advantage. In the second half, Wooster never got the lead back under 10 points, and a 10-0 run that spanned six minutes expanded the Wittenberg advantage from 43-33 to 53-33 and effectively ended the game.
The Tigers got 21 points from sophomore guard Megan Miller (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster), matching her career-high established in the regular season finale at Ohio Wesleyan to lead all scorers. Also turning in solid performances were freshman post Ali Rohlfs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) with 10 points and eight rebounds, sophomore post Kathy Hittle (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) with nine points and eight boards and freshman guard Ellie Stonecash (Springboro, Ohio/Middletown Fenwick) with nine points on 4-of-8 shooting in just 10 minutes off the bench.
The Tigers rounded out the regular season with a 67-55 road win over rival Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday. It was Wittenberg's eighth straight victory over Ohio Wesleyan, dating back to an 81-75 overtime loss in the 2002 NCAC Tournament championship game.
The two offensive catalysts for Wittenberg were Miller and Rohlfs. Miller hit four three-pointers and 7-of-8 free throws en route to a game- and career-high 21 points. Rohlfs was the high scorer in the first half and she went on to put up 14 points for the game. In addition, Hittle finished with nine points and 11 rebounds, the latter being a game-high.
Wittenberg jumped out to a 10-3 lead early in the game as Rohlfs scored eight of the Tigers' first 10 points, including a pair of three-pointers. The lead swelled to 35-20 by halftime, and the Battling Bishops never got closer than seven points the rest of the way. The Tigers enjoyed a phenomenal 24-rebound advantage, including 19 offensive caroms, compared to 23 total rebounds for the host team.
Wittenberg and Denison have met twice in 2004-05 and the Big Red have emerged victorious both times. On Dec. 1, the Tigers dropped a 63-59 decision in Springfield and on Jan. 19, the Big Red captured a 52-44 victory.
Next: 2/25 vs. Denison, 5:30 p.m.
NCAC Tournament Semifinals
February 18, 2005
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Ellie Stonecash
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The 2004-05 regular season concludes Saturday with a road trip to Ohio Wesleyan for a 2 p.m. tip-off. The Tigers are in a second-place tie in the NCAC, two games behind Kenyon, which has clinched first place and home court advantage for the upcoming conference tournament. With a win, the Tigers can finish no worse than third, but a loss could drop Wittenberg as low as fifth and send the Tigers on the road for the NCAC Tournament quarterfinals for the first time ever in 16 seasons as a conference member.
Three wins in the last four games have allowed the Tigers to keep pace in a crowded four-team race for second place in the NCAC regular season. They also guaranteed Wittenberg a 16th straight winning seasons.
Most recently, Wittenberg used a big second half to turn away a challenge from last-place Earlham in a 68-41 victory on Feb. 16. The Tigers took a 20-15 halftime lead, but Earlham rallied to tie the game at 24. The Tigers responded with a 13-2 run, and the lead slowly stretched from there. Wittenberg closed the game on a 13-1 run as numerous reserves saw extensive playing time and made the most of it.
Three Tiger players stood out at the offensive end, led by freshman guard Ellie Stonecash (Springboro, Ohio/Middletown Fenwick), who finished with a career-high 19 points. Sophomore post Kathy Hittle (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) finished with 16 points and a game-high eight rebounds and senior guard Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) scored nine of her 11 points in the second half and added four boards.
On Senior Day, the Tigers send Schmid and guard Alison Nahrup (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) out in style as they defeated visiting Wooster, 64-61, on Feb. 12. As the final score suggests, the Tigers hardly enjoyed the kind of joyride they had a month earlier when Wittenberg sprinted out to a stunning 39-4 lead en route to a 79-43 victory on the Scots' home floor.
Wittenberg led 31-24 at half, but the Scots rallied to tie the game with two minutes left. Junior guard Brittany Landreth (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso), who had a career-high eight points, bailed the Tigers out with the game-winning free throws with 1:23 remaining.
The Tigers were led by Hittle with game-highs of 16 points and nine rebounds. Schmid chipped in with 11 points and eight rebounds. Wittenberg won the rebounding battle, 39-29, with none bigger than offensive boards off missed free throws inside the final minute by freshman post Ali Rohlfs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) and Hittle.
The three-game win streak started with a Feb. 5 home victory Hiram, 84-50. After leading by 13 points at halftime, the Tigers outscored their visitors 46-25 in the final 20 minutes. Wittenberg's starters played just five minutes each in the second half and 11 minutes total in the game as all 15 Wittenberg players in uniform saw at least 10 minutes of action and 13 scored at least two points.
Wittenberg pulled down 58 boards to just 27 for the Terriers. Included in that number was a phenomenal 30 offensive rebounds for Wittenberg, out of 58 total. Individually, junior guard Carrie Jones (Greenville, Ohio/Greenville) finished with 17 points, 15 of which came in the first half, and three rebounds, and junior post Joyce Dindo (Akron, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) added her first career double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds in a team-high 22 minutes. Schmid rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points.
Rounding things out, the Tigers opened the stretch run of the 2004-05 season with a disappointing 58-53 home loss to Allegheny on Feb. 4. After an ugly first half for both teams, Allegheny rebounded from a 23-14 halftime deficit to pull out the win as the Gators shot 58 percent from the field in the final 20 minutes.
The loss spoiled Hittle's career night as she led all players with 22 points and 14 rebounds, both career highs. She didn't get much help until late in the second half when sophomore guard Megan Miller (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) hit two long three-pointers - and just missed on another open look in the waning seconds that would have tied the game - to finish with eight points.
Next: 2/19 @ Ohio Wesleyan, 2 p.m.
February 4, 2005
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Ali Rohlfs
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While the latter goal is now somewhat unlikely, the Tigers still have a great deal to play for as they head into the home stretch of the season. Wittenberg is 12-8 overall and 8-3 in the NCAC, solid numbers for a young team that opened the season 1-4 while playing five teams with records currently at least six games over .500. The Tigers are tied for second in the NCAC, in the middle of a pack of teams that are all at least two games behind league-leader Kenyon.
On Jan. 22, Wittenberg jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first three minutes against visiting Earlham and cruised to a 76-56 victory.
Rebounds played a key role in the match-up as the Tigers won that battle by 12. The Tigers also harrassed the Quakers into 28 turnovers, compared to 20 for Wittenberg. Senior guard Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) led the Tigers with 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field. In addition, sophomore post Kathy Hittle (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) contributed 11 points and freshman post Katie Gregorevich (Northfield, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) had 10 points. Also of note was the play of junior guard Brittany Landreth (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso), who had seven steals, just two short of the school record.
In their next outing, the Tigers lost their shooting touch and even a stout defensive effort against NCAC-leading Kenyon couldn't make up for it in a 35-33 road loss on Jan. 26. It was the second time in two weeks that the Tigers held Kenyon to 35 points, but amazingly the two teams split the games.
A scoreless stretch of 9:16 to close the game squandered a seven-point lead as Kenyon chipped away until taking the lead on a jumper with five seconds left.
Only junior guard Carrie Jones (Greenville, Ohio/Greenville) offered any consistency offensively, finishing with 11 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor. Schmid added five points and Hittle added a team-high eight rebounds.
On Jan. 29, the Tigers rebounded from that tough loss with a 71-61 victory at Oberlin. The Tigers were led by freshman post Ali Rohlfs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame), who contributed 11 of her team-high 17 points in the first half. Senior guard Alison Nahrup (Loveland, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) had a game- and career-high 10 rebounds, Schmid contributed 13 points and Hittle added 10.
Rounding things out, the Tigers captured a key 78-63 home victory over visiting Ohio Wesleyan on Feb. 1. It was the Tigers' seventh straight win over OWU.
For Wittenberg, the story was welcome offensive balance, keyed by a season-high 50 percent shooting performance from three-point range. With opponents focusing their defense on the Tigers' post players, guard play becomes even more crucial, and Wittenberg found some of it against the Bishops.
The Tigers picked up 16 points and eight rebounds from Gregorevich in her first career start, while Hittle enjoyed a record-setting night with seven points, eight rebounds and a school-record five blocked shots, one better than the mark previously shared by three players. As a team, Wittenberg finished with 11 blocks, tying a school record set in 1993 against Denison.
Rohlfs contributed 12 points and four rebounds, all offensive, in 16 productive minutes off the bench, Schmid was solid with seven points, seven rebounds and five steals and sophomore guard Megan Miller (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) finished with 13 points in 14 minutes off the bench.
The Tigers are back at it again this weekend with a pair of key home games. On Friday, Allegheny, which is tied for fourth place and just one game back in the standings, visits the HPER Center. Hiram comes calling on Saturday. A pair of wins would all but lock up a home game in the quarterfinal round of the NCAC Tournament, which is scheduled for Feb. 22-25.
Next: 2/4 vs. Allegheny, 6 p.m.
2/5 vs. Hiram, 2 p.m.
January 21, 2005
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Kathy Hittle
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A blowout win at Wooster on Saturday and the loss to Denison on Wednesday moved the Tigers to 5-2 in the NCAC, good for a three-way tie for second place, one game behind Kenyon. Wittenberg is 9-7 overall.
Against Wooster, the Tigers were dominant from start to finish in a 79-43 victory. It was over almost before it started as Wittenberg used a 24-0 run to bury the homestanding Scots, 39-4 midway through the first half. The margin was 48-16 by halftime and the lead was at least 26 throughout the final 20 minutes.
Wittenberg, which stunned previously unbeaten Kenyon 64-35 at home on Jan. 12, got 16 points and five rebounds from freshman post Katie Gregorevich (Northfield, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit), who was rewarded for her play with NCAC Player of the Week honors. Freshman guard Ellie Stonecash (Springboro, Ohio/Middletown Fenwick) and senior guard Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) also reached double figures in scoring with 13 and 11 points respectively as 13 players saw action and 10 of them scored at least two points. Also of note was the play of sophomore post Kathy Hittle (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) with eight points and a game-high nine rebounds and junior post Joyce Dindo (Akron, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) with six points and seven boards off the bench.
For the second time this season the Denison Big Red had all the answers for the Tigers, dealing Wittenberg a disappointing NCAC defeat, 52-44. The Big Red also beat Wittenberg, 63-59, in Springfield on Dec. 1 in the conference opener for both teams. That loss ended a 36-game NCAC regular season win streak for the Tigers, but it seemed to jumpstart their season as Wittenberg reeled off eight wins in the next 10 games.
Both teams made 18 shots from the field and finished with shooting percentages in the 30 percent range. Wittenberg won the battle of the boards comfortably, pulling down 51 caroms to Denison's 38. But the difference, three-point shooting (6-2 made in favor of Denison), free throw shooting (10-6 in favor of Denison) and turnovers as Wittenberg committed a whopping 24 ballhandling miscues to 12 for the Big Red.
The Tigers got tremendous games from Hittle and freshman post Ali Rohlfs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame), but the tandem got little help offensively. Hittle finished with 12 points and career-highs of 15 rebounds and four blocks and Rohlfs chipped in with a game-high 17 points and seven boards.
The Tigers return home for a game against last-place Earlham on Saturday before hitting the road for a key conference showdown at Kenyon on Jan. 26.
Next: 1/22 vs. Earlham, 2 p.m.
January 13, 2005
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Katie Gregorevich
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This season is shaping up much the same way as the Tigers have reeled off three straight wins in NCAC action after dropping a 65-61 decision against nationally ranked DePauw on Jan. 3. Wins over Hiram, Allegheny and Kenyon in the last five days have moved the Tigers to within a half-game of the conference lead and records of 8-6 overall and 4-1 in the NCAC.
The biggest win was undoubtedly Wednesday's 64-35 drubbing of Kenyon, which was previously unbeaten in conference play.
Wittenberg took an early lead, slowly opened it up to 26-19 by halftime and then ran away in the final 20 minutes, outscoring the Ladies, 38-16, in the second half. Freshman post Katie Gregorevich (Northfield, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) was the only Wittenberg player to reach double figures in scoring, finishing with a career-high 22 points and also a career-high nine rebounds.
By game's end, 14 Tiger players saw action and 12 found their way into the scoring column, including sophomore post Kathy Hittle (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) with seven points and nine rebounds and freshman post Ali Rohlfs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) with seven points and seven boards. For the game, the Tigers shot a blistering 58 percent in the second half and outrebounded their visitors, 44-31.
The Tigers took a huge step forward on Saturday with a 66-55 victory over homestanding Allegheny, last season's conference regular season and tournament runner-up.
Wittenberg trailed for much of the early part of the game before a 13-2 Tiger run late in the first half to take control. During that burst, Wittenberg got six points from instant-offense freshman guard Ellie Stonecash (Springboro, Ohio/Middletown Fenwick). After leading by nine at halftime, the Tigers slowly pulled away in the final 20 minutes, getting 11 points along the way from senior guard Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson).
Schmid finished with 15 points, just one off the team lead established by Gregorevich, who topped the Tigers with 16 points and nine rebounds. Stonecash had a career-high 10 points in just 13 minutes off the bench, Hittle was steady with eight points and seven rebounds, and Rohlfs added six points, four assists, three steals and three rebounds.
Wittenberg kicked the weekend off with a convincing 77-45 road win at Hiram on Friday. An 8-0 early in the first half kickstarted the Tigers, as they slowly moved out to a 39-25 lead by halftime and then played a tremendous second half, outscoring their hosts 38-20.
The Tigers put all 16 players who suited up into the game and 15 of them scored. Seven different players scored between six and nine points, led by junior guard Carrie Jones (Greenville, Ohio/Greenville) with nine off the bench. Hittle, sophomore post Rachel Clark-Haggy (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) and sophomore post Denita Braziel (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) all finished with eight points, and junior post Joyce Dindo (Akron, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) was high for either team with eight rebounds.
The Tigers have a pair of big games in the next week, starting with Saturday's road trip to Wooster, which is tied with Wittenberg at 4-1 in the NCAC. The Tigers his the road again on Wednesday with a game against another contender, Denison, which pulled off a four-point win in Springfield early in the season to break a nearly three-year Tiger conference win streak.
Next: 1/15 at Wooster, 2 p.m.
January 6, 2005
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Ali Rohlfs
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After starting the season 1-4, Wittenberg turned things around with four wins in five games, culminating in a championship in the Kiwanis-Wittenberg Holiday Classic. The Tigers dropped back below the .500 mark with a loss to sixth-ranked DePauw on Monday in the 2004-05 nonconference finale.
The Tigers spread the wealth on offense and took advantage of 35 Centre College turnovers in a 67-46 victory to open the Kiwanis-Wittenberg Holiday Classic on Dec. 29.
The points off turnovers specialty statistic really told the story. Centre committed a whopping 35 miscues, compared to 15 turnovers by the host team, leading to 27 more shots for Wittenberg and a 31-9 advantage on points off turnovers. In addition, Centre, which had just seven players see the court in the game, was outscored 46-12 in bench points. That's because Wittenberg put 15 players into the game and 12 of them scored, led by freshman post Katie Gregorevich (Northfield, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) with 12 points and sophomore post Kathy Hittle (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) with 10 points and eight rebounds, the latter tying her for game honors.
The next night, the Tigers fought off a strong challenge from Hanover to win 66-60 and capture the program's first Kiwanis-Wittenberg Holiday Classic title since 2001.
Wittenberg led almost the entire game, as a jumper by Gregorevich at the 10:58 mark of the first half actually gave the Tigers a lead they would never relinquish. Wittenberg held on in the waning seconds as freshman post Ali Rohlfs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) hit a big lay-up with 21 seconds left and then Tournament MVP, senior guard Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson), blocked a late three-pointer to preserve the win.
Schmid finished with the first double-double of her career with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Rohlfs, who also made the all-tournament team, led all scorers with 15 points. Gregorevich added eight points and two assists in 17 minutes off the bench.
Rounding things out, the Tigers came up just short in an upset bid of sixth-ranked DePauw Monday in Springfield. Wittenberg had its chances in a 65-61 defeat.
The visiting Tigers jumped out to a 9-0 lead to open the game, but Wittenberg settled down and slowly worked that advantage until Schmid capped a 7-0 burst with a three-pointer at the 5:26 mark of the first half and gave the hosts their first lead at 20-19. Wittenberg led by as many as five points in the second half, but DePauw took the lead with about 13 minutes remaining and held on thanks to terrific foul shooting (18-of-20 in the second half).
Wittenberg won the rebounding battle 42-33, including 20 boards on the offensive end, as Hittle led with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Schmid added 11 points and five rebounds, sophomore guard Megan Miller (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) chipped in with nine points and junior guard Carrie Jones (Greenville, Ohio/Greenville) finished with four points, five rebounds and four assists.
Next: 1/7 at Hiram, 6 p.m.
1/8 at Allegheny, 4 p.m.
December 28, 2004
Wittenberg University Basketball Teams Host Kiwanis-Wittenberg Holiday Classic Dec. 29-30
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Wittenberg University men's and women's basketball teams welcome an outstanding field of eight teams for the 2004 Kiwanis-Wittenberg Holiday Classic. This year's competition is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 29, and Thursday, Dec. 30, at Wittenberg's HPER Center. Games for both days are scheduled for 1, 3, 6 and 8 p.m. Read More ...
December 23, 2004
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Rachel Clark-Haggy
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In that game, the Tigers' first game in a week and their first road game in almost a month, the rust showed as host Thomas More rallied from a 13-point first half deficit and captured a 78-73 decision over Wittenberg. The Tigers' five losses have all come by less than 14 points, and four of them have come by 10 points or less.
Even with a foul disparity that led to 12 more Thomas More points from the free throw line, Wittenberg led almost the entire game. Thomas More closed with a 13-7 run in the final four minutes to steal the victory.
The Tigers put three players in double figures offensively, led by sophomore post Rachel Clark-Haggy (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) and her career-high 15 points, senior guard Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) and her season-best 14 tallies and junior guard Carrie Jones (Greenville, Ohio/Greenville) and her 10 points. Sophomore post Kathy Hittle (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) added seven points and a team-high seven rebounds.
On Dec. 11, the Tigers got a shot in the arm with a 67-43 victory over the visiting Oberlin Yeowomen, with eight players in tow. Fifteen Tiger player saw action and 13 of them scored.
Wittenberg scored the game's first eight points as the Yeowomen were held scoreless for the first 13:39. The lead expanded to 32-15 by halftime and the closest Oberlin got in the final 20 minutes was 14 points. Schmid led Wittenberg with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field, and she added four steals and three rebounds.Clark-Haggy was solid with eight points and a game-high seven rebounds and freshman guard Ellie Stonecash (Springboro, Ohio/Middletown Fenwick) scored eight points and grabbed four boards.
In a battle of two 2004 NCAA Division III Tournament teams decimated by graduation losses, the Tigers came out on top with a 72-41 victory over Bethany on Dec. 7.
Wittenberg held a 13-point halftime advantage and slowly built on it to blow the game open in the final 20 minutes. All 16 players in uniform for the Tigers saw at least four minutes of action in the game, and 15 of them scored. Hittle had an outstanding game with 14 points and seven rebounds in just 17 minutes of action, and Clark-Haggy provided a spark in her first starting assignment with four points, six rebounds and four steals. Also of note was the play of freshman post Katie Gregorevich (Northfield, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit), who finished with eight points and 10 boards in just 14 minutes off the bench.
Rounding things out, the Tigers dug themselves a big hole they couldn't climb out of in a 63-59 NCAC loss on Dec. 4 that ended a 36-game conference regular season win streak. The loss was the Tigers' first in conference regular season action since Feb. 2, 2002, at Allegheny, and it was the Tigers' first home defeat in NCAC play since Feb. 2, 2001, against Allegheny. The loss also was Wittenberg's first against the Big Red since 2001 and a 73-62 loss in Granville.
Coming off a pair of home defeats against national powerhouses Baldwin-Wallace and Capital the previous week, the Tigers found themselves in a big first-half hole for the third straight game and even a rally over the final 10 minutes couldn't save them.
The game may have been decided in the first in the first four minutes of the second half as Denison outscored Wittenberg 9-2 to run the lead to 12 points and eventually to as much as 16. The Tigers whittled the lead down to 62-59 with 1:43 remaining on a lay-up by Gregorevich, but Wittenberg missed its final four shots to allow the Big Red to escape with the narrow victory.
Wittenberg got a strong game from Gregorevich, who finished with 17 points and five rebounds in 16 minutes off the bench. Sophomore guard Megan Miller (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) added nine points, Hittle chipped in with seven points and seven rebounds and Schmid, playing her first game of the season after helping the Tiger volleyball team to the NCAA Division III quarterfinals, added nine rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench.
The Tigers return to action on Dec. 29-30 when they host the Kiwanis-Wittenberg Holiday Classic. They will be joined by Centre College of Danville, Ky., Buffalo State College and Hanover (Ind.) College.
Next: 12/29 vs. Centre, 3 p.m.
Kiwanis-Wittenberg Holiday Classic
November 29, 2004
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Megan Miller
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The season opened with a 63-53 loss to Howard Payne in the first game of the Southwestern University Tipoff Tournament. The Tigers never led in the game, but they were never out of it either. The largest lead in the game was 11 points, but Wittenberg also couldn't close the gap inside of five points in the second half.
Several statistical differences stand out in the postgame analysis. The Tigers committed 25 turnovers and were outrebounded, 44-38, giving their foe far too many offensive opportunities. Those were cashed in many times at the free throw line as the Tigers were whistled for 11 more fouls, leading to a decisive 18-9 advantage at the charity stripe for Howard Payne.
Freshman post Ali Rohlfs (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) led the Tigers with 11 points in her first collegiate appearance and sophomore post Kathy Hittle (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville) had a solid game with eight points and a team-high eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Megan Miller (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) came off the bench to hit for 10 points.
In the final game of the Southwestern Tournament, the Tigers rebounded well for a 65-48 win over McMurry.
Wittenberg never trailed in this game, and after pushing the lead out to 10 points less than 10 minutes into the first half. The lead slowly expanded to as much as 19 points in the late-going. The Tigers spread the wealth and put three players in double figures offensively. Miller threw in a career-high 17 points in her first career start, and she was placed on the all-tournament team.
Rohlfs was solid again, contributing 14 points and seven rebounds, and sophomore point guard Andrea Hackett (Springfield, Ohio/Catholic Central) provided a spark off the bench with a career-high 10 points in 22 minutes of action. Wittenberg outrebounded McMurry by a whopping 45-31 margin, led by junior Joyce Dindo (Akron, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) off the bench with a game-high six boards.
Against Baldwin-Wallace, the Tigers fell behind by double digits in the opening minutes, and a furious second-half rally fell short in a 72-62 loss. The Tigers shot just 32 percent from the field and were outrebounded 21-11 in the first half as they fell behind 39-27 by halftime. In the second half, Wittenberg evened up the rebounding category, but the Tigers still shot just 31 percent from the field and made a 12-of-23 showing at the free throw line.
B-W shot just 33 percent in the final 20 minutes, however, and the lead shrunk to five on a wild three-pointer by Miller with 26 seconds left. However, the Yellow Jackets scored the final five points. Hittle finished with a team-high 15 points and added five rebounds, but no one else reached double figures for the Tigers. Rohlfs finished with eight points and a team-high six rebounds as 13 players appeared in the game for the Tigers and 11 of them played 13 minutes or more. Miller was one of three players with seven points, and senior guard Alison Nahrup (Loveland, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) had a decent all-around game with four points, four steals, two assists and two rebounds.
Rounding things out, the Tigers dropped a 67-53 decision to sixth-ranked Capital University at the HPER Center on Saturday as another furious second-half rally fell short. For the second straight game, Wittenberg won the second half battle but ultimately lost the war after spotting the Crusaders a 48-22 halftime lead.
After shooting just 25 percent and committing 18 turnovers in the first half, the Tigers looked rejevunated in the final 20 minutes. Wittenberg whittled the lead down to 11 points with five minutes remaining and even had a possession to cut it to single digits, but it wasn't to be. Wittenberg held a 48-32 rebounding advantage for the game, and the Tigers collected a whopping 25 offensive caroms.
Wittenberg was led by Miller, who scored 12 points. Hittle played well in the post, finishing with eight points, 11 rebounds and a career-high three blocked shots, and freshman guard Ellie Stonecash (Springboro, Ohio/Middletown Fenwick) added eight points in 13 minutes off the bench.
Next: 12/1 vs. Denison, 7:30 p.m.
November 11, 2004
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Emilie Schmid
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The coaches gave the Tigers five of a possible nine first-place votes, while the Tigers claimed the top position on 10 of the 25 media ballots cast. Wittenberg, which is riding a 36-game regular season NCAC win streak dating back to February 2002, were chosen to finish in third place or higher on every ballot cast. In the coaches poll, Allegheny received three first-place nods, and Ohio Wesleyan picked up the other vote. In the media poll, the Battling Bishops were chosen first on seven ballots and the Gators on five, with seventh-place Earlham getting the other two first-place votes.
The Tigers, under the direction of 19-year Head Coach Pam Smith, Wittenberg Class of 1982, return 10 letterwinners to the program in 2004-05, but just one starter and just two seniors, guards Alison Nahrup (Loveland, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) and Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson). They open the season with two games at the Southwestern University Tip-Off Tournament in San Antonio, Texas, on Nov. 19-20.
Next: 11/19-20 at Southwestern U. Inv.
November 4, 2004
Wittenberg Men's and Women's Basketball Teams Picked To Finish Among Leaders in Conference Preseason Polls
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Wittenberg University men's and women's basketball teams both captured North Coast Athletic Conference regular season championships with perfect 16-0 records, so it's hardly surprising that both teams were given a great deal of respect in the 2004-05 NCAC preseason polls conducted during today's media day conference call. Read More ...
October 29, 2004
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Alison Nahrup
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The fact that the Tigers must replace four senior starters in 2004-05 smacks of irony since Head Coach Pam Smith replaced four senior starters in 2003-04 and still led Wittenberg to the NCAC regular season and tournament titles. Despite the lack of returning starters, the Tigers have a strong nucleus of 10 returning letterwinners back in the fold this year.
The only returning starter is senior guard Alison Nahrup (Loveland, Ohio/Mt. Notre Dame), who ranked among the team leaders in assists, blocked shots and steals a year ago. The team's other senior is guard Emilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson), also its top returning scorer at 7.3 points per game. As always, Schmid will be a midseason pick-up for the Tigers since she and the second-ranked Wittenberg volleyball team have designs on a national title in 2004.
Those two seniors will be joined in the backcourt by junior Carrie Jones (Greenville, Ohio/Greenville), who scored 5.1 points per game a year ago, and three other returning letterwinners: sophomores Andrea Hackett (Springfield, Ohio/Catholic Central) and Megan Miller (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) and junior Brittany Landreth (Valparaiso, Ind./Valparaiso).
In the frontcourt, the top returning player is sophomore Kathy Hittle (Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville), who posted averages of 4.3 points and 3.5 rebounds per game in 2003-04. Junior Joyce Dindo (Akron, Ohio/Walsh Jesuit) and sophomores Rachel Clark-Haggy (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) and Denita Braziel (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) also figure prominently in that mix.
The season opens on Nov. 19-20 at the Southwestern University Invitational. The Tigers are scheduled to take on Howard Payne on Nov. 19 and McMurry on Nov. 20.
Next: 11/19-20 at Southwestern U. Inv.
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© 2007 Wittenberg University
Non-discriminatory Policy Web Use Policy & Disclaimer Privacy Policy
© 2007 Wittenberg University