Wittenberg University Athletics - Women's Lacrosse 2003 News Releases

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2003 Wittenberg University
Women's Lacrosse News Releases

All Releases Written by: Ryan Maurer
Director of Sports Information
E-Mail: rmaurer@wittenberg.edu

May 6, 2003

Katie Babcock

The Tiger women’s lacrosse team concluded an outstanding 2003 season with a hard-fought 8-6 loss to Denison in the NCAC Tournament. Before that Friday afternoon defeat in the conference tourney semifinals, Wittenberg had won eight of its last nine games after an 0-4 start.

The week started with a 13-8 defeat of Oberlin in the regular season finale on Tuesday at Edwards-Maurer Field. Sophomore Erin Kelly (Edina, Minn./Edina) posted a career-high four goals in the game and senior Cara Romanowski (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) added three tallies.

Junior Katie Babcock (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) scored two goals in the loss to Denison and junior Christine Slone (Gross Pointe, Mich./South) scored a career-high three goals as the Tigers nearly rallied from a 5-0 first-half deficit. The Big Red, who lost 8-7 the next day against defending champion Wooster, were the No. 2 seed in the tournament and Wittenberg was the No. 3 seed.

The 5-2 NCAC record compiled by the Tigers in 2003 was the best in school history. Babcock and Romanowski both earned NCAC All-Tournament honors.

Next: Season Complete

April 29, 2003

Cara Romanowski

The Tiger women’s lacrosse team is hot. Very hot. Seven wins in eight games hot heading into Tuesday’s regular season finale against Oberlin at Edwards-Maurer Field.

Last week, the Tigers won three straight games in convincing fashion, upending North Coast Athletic Conference rivals Kenyon and Allegheny and defeating Medaille College on the road on Saturday. The wins moved Wittenberg to 7-5 overall and 5-2 in the NCAC following an 0-4 start to the 2003 campaign and into sole possession of third place heading into this weekend’s four-team conference tournament hosted by defending champion Wooster.

While the team and individual highlights were aplenty on this night, senior Cara Romanowski (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) shone the brightest. Romanowski scored seven goals in a 17-10 victory over Kenyon on Wednesday, seven goals in a 16-2 win at Medaille on Saturday and six goals in a 12-6 victory at Allegheny on Sunday. In the victory over Allegheny, Romanowski moved into first place on the Wittenberg career goals scored list with 168, bettering the 164 scored by Jodi Bennyhoff, who played for the Tigers from 1987-90. In addition, she moved into fifth place on the NCAC career goals list, surpassing Elizabeth Barry of Oberlin, who had 164 from 1994-97.

Romanowski, the 2002 NCAC Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team regional All-America selection a year ago after leading the conference in scoring and goals, has 50 goals this season and has scored at least two goals in every game. With at least two games remaining in the 2003 season, Romanowski is now taking aim at the record for goals in a season (57), a mark currently held by Jo-El Miller in 1996.

For her efforts, Romanowski was recognized with NCAC Player of the Week honors.

Romanowski did have some help on the offensive end during the week, plenty of it in fact. Sophomore Jenny Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) posted some gaudy numbers of her own, scoring 11 goals and distributing nine assists for 20 points of her own. She ranks second in the conference with 57 total points and an average of 4.75 per game, three spots ahead of Romanowski, who has 50 goals, 50 points and a scoring average of 4.17.

Defensively, the Tigers also continue to play well, led by junior all-conference performer Katie Babcock (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney), the team leader in ground balls, and senior goalkeeper Rebecca Russ (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart), who is now 7-1 in net this season. She leads the conference in save percentage as she is turning away 64.9 percent of opponents’ shots.

Next: 4/29 vs. Oberlin, 7 p.m.
5/2-3 NCAC Tournament

April 22, 2003

Rebecca Russ

The Tiger women’s lacrosse team didn’t have the busiest of weeks, but it was undoubtedly one of the most productive of the 2003 season. Wittenberg upended preseason NCAC favorite Wooster 6-4 on Thursday.

The player of the game, and consequently of the week in the NCAC, was senior goalkeeper Rebecca Russ (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart), who turned away 22 shots in the victory. Russ, who moved back to goalkeeper after the first four games of the season due to an injury to freshman Alyssa Yackee (Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon), had a save percentage of 84 percent in the game and improved her season mark in that category to 64 percent, tops in the conference.

Offensively, sophomore Jenny Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) and senior Cara Romanowski (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) carried the load, scoring four goals and two goals respectively. Burns leads the team with 31 goals, six assists and 37 total points on the year. Romanowski has 30 goals and total points. Both rank among the NCAC’s best in both goals and total points.

This is a big week for the Tigers as they host Kenyon in a crucial NCAC game at Edwards-Maurer Field on Wednesday and then take to the road for a nonconference game at Medaille on Saturday and another important NCAC game on Sunday at Allegheny. Both NCAC games will go a long way toward determining positioning in the NCAC Tournament next month.

Next: 4/23 vs. Kenyon, 4:30 p.m.
4/26 at Medaille, 1 p.m.
4/27 at Allegheny, 1 p.m.

April 15, 2003

Jenny Burns

The Tiger women’s lacrosse team won two of three last week, including its first game outside the conference. On Wednesday, Wittenberg bested visiting Earlham 13-3. On Friday, the Tigers were defeated by host Denison 13-6. And on Saturday, Wittenberg upended visiting St. Vincent 11-8 at Edwards-Maurer Field.

In the win over Earlham sophomore Jenny Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) was outstanding, leading the offensive charge with four goals and an assist. She added two goals against Denison and five more and an assist against St. Vincent for 11 on the week, the most in the NCAC. Burns had a fine performance all-around for the week as she also finished with three assists, four ground balls, four caused turnovers and six draw controls.

Senior Cara Romanowski (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) added three goals against Earlham, two against Denison and four against St. Vincent. She ranks among the conference leaders in total points and goals with 28. Burns also is among the NCAC’s best in both categories as she has contributed 27 goals and 32 total points on the season.

Wittenberg has a less hectic week on tap with a lone game at Wooster on Thursday. The Scots are one of the top teams in the conference.

Next: 4/17 at Wooster, 4 p.m.

April 8, 2003

Erin Kelly

The Tiger women’s lacrosse team won its first game of the season last week, upending Oberlin 7-4 on the road on Saturday.

Sophomore Jenny Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) led the offensive charge against the Yeowomen, scoring three goals. Senior Cara Romanowski (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley), who led the NCAC in scoring last year, added two tallies, sophomore Erin Kelly (Edina, Minn./Edina) chipped in with a goal and an assist and junior Katie Babcock (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) scored her first goal of the season.

For the season, Romanowski has 19 goals, putting her second in the NCAC at 3.80 per game and fifth in points with the same average. Burns ranks sixth in points with 18 and fifth in goals with 3.20 per outing.

Next: 4/9 vs. Earlham, 7 p.m.
4/11 @ Denison, 4:30 p.m.
4/12 vs. St. Vincent, 6 p.m.

April 1, 2003

Cara Romanowski

The Tiger women’s lacrosse team hung tough with another quality opponent last week before falling 13-10 to Ohio Wesleyan in their NCAC opener on Tuesday at Edwards-Maurer Field. Senior Cara Romanowski (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) led the Tigers in scoring for a fourth consecutive game as she found the back of the net five times. It was the second time this season that Romanowski scored five goals in a game.

The 2002 NCAC Defensive Player of the Year and the NCAC’s leading scorer a year ago, Romanowski has a team- and NCAC-best 17 goals on the season. She has scored at least three goals in each game so far this year. Sophomore Jenny Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) is second on the team with 13 goals and two assists for 15 total points.

Defensively, senior Rebecca Russ (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart) and junior Katie Babcock (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) lead with 16 ground balls. Russ, last year’s goalkeeper, leads the team with 10 caused turnovers.

Next: 4/5 @ Oberlin, 2 p.m.

March 24, 2003

Jenny Burns

The Tiger women’s lacrosse team is off to a tough start to the 2003 campaign, falling on March 4 to the University of the Redlands 17-9, Rochester Polytechnic Institute 12-10 and undefeated Washington College 19-6.

The offensive leaders have been consistent through the first three weeks of the season. Sophomore Jenny Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) stands third in the NCAC with 11 goals and two assists for 13 total points in three games. She has scored at least three goals in each of the games thus far.

Senior Cara Romanowski (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley), the 2002 NCAC Defensive Player of the Year and the NCAC’s leading scorer a year ago, has a team-best 12 goals on the season, which also paces the conference. She also has scored at least three goals in each game so far.

Next: 3/26 vs. Ohio Wesleyan, 7 p.m.

March 10, 2003

Cara Romanowski

Jenny Burns

The Wittenberg Women’s Lacrosse Team kicked off the 2003 season last Tuesday with a 17-9 loss to visiting University of the Redlands at Wall-to-Wall Soccer in Mason, Ohio. The game had to be moved from Springfield due to unplayable field conditions.

The Tigers got four goals each from sophomore Jenny Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) and senior Cara Romanowski (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley) and one tally from sophomore Erin Kelly (Edina, Minn./Edina).

The 2003 Tiger women’s lacrosse program will be unquestionably led by record-breaking defender Romanowski, who topped the conference in scoring a year ago en route to NCAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. She scored 54 goals and totalled 61 points in 2002 and earned first-team All-NCAC and Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association.

Romanowski was the team’s main scoring threat a year ago, but she was hardly alone. Two freshmen, in particular, stepped onto the field and immediately began making an impression on opposing teams. Burns scored 24 goals and had a team-best 10 assists for 34 total points as she went on to earn honorable mention All-NCAC honors. In addition, Kelly finished with five goals and three assists.

Those three players will be expected to carry the offensive load again in 2003, and they will be joined in attacking opposing netminders by newcomers Margaret Ohms (St. Louis, Mo./John F. Kennedy), a freshman attacker, and Emily Hiscar (Pataskala, Ohio/Watkins Memorial), a freshman midfielder, and two holdovers, junior midfielder Katie Babcock (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) and sophomore midfielder Rachel Ridgeway (Montclair, N.J./The Taft School).

Defensively, Wittenberg has Romanowski and another veteran, senior Lindsay Law (Columbus, Ohio/Dublin Scioto) to show the way. Law was injured for part of the 2002 season, but in 2001 she led the team in minutes played. Among the other players who figure into the defensive mix are sophomore Carrie Happ (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian), sophomore Jackie Comer (Tiffin, Ohio/Columbian), junior Christine Slone (Grosse Pointe, Mich./South), sophomore Motoko Hanatani (Kyoto, Japan/Perkiomen Valley (Pa.)), freshman Katie Burns (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) and senior Rebecca Russ (Louisville, Ohio/Sacred Heart), who was in goal a year ago. Taking over between the pipes will be freshman Alyssa Yackee (Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon).

Next: 3/12 vs. RPI, 6:30 p.m.
3/13 vs. Wash. Coll., 6:30 p.m.
in Panama City, Fla.