Tigers Momentum Has Been Swaying All Season, Hopefully It Is Back On Track

Matt Berry

The Wittenberg men's soccer team is back on a two-game win streak and is also back in the NCAC race heading into the home stretch of the 2003 season.

Last week, the Tigers upended Kenyon 5-3 at home on Saturday and Earlham 2-0 at home on Wednesday. The wins leveled the Tigers conference record at 2-2 and improved the team's NCAC point total to seven, based on three points for each win and another point earned for an overtime loss at Ohio Wesleyan on Oct. 1.

In the win over Kenyon, sophomore Jesse King (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) opened the scoring off an assist from freshman Nick Hauff (Delaware, Ohio/Hayes). Sophomore Matt Berry (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe) scored the second goal of the game off a touch by freshman David Ross (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington). But Kenyon rallied to score twice before the end of the half to tie things up.

In the second half, the Tigers took control as freshman Sebastian Missura (Quito, Ecuador/American School), Ross and senior Steve Doring (Dayton, Ohio/Wayne) scored the goals and sophomore Andy Stewart (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) and freshman Josh Richards (Milford, Ohio/McNicholas) had the assists.

Against Earlham, freshman goalkeeper Adam Horrocks (Delaware, Ohio/Hayes) posted his second shutout in support of goals by Berry and Ross. Assists were recorded by Doring, Missura and freshman Jason Sucher (Louisville, Ky./duPont Manual).

The Tigers next travel to Hiram on Saturday for another important NCAC game before returning home to square off with nationally ranked Allegheny on Oct. 18. Wittenberg is part of a very crowded conference title chase currently, with the top four teams at season's end slated to participate in the NCAC Men's Soccer Tournament. The Tigers have been on the outside looking in at that tournament in each of the three years of its existence.