Tigers Conclude Season On High Note With 1-0 Win Over Allegheny

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers sent a trio of seniors out on a high note with a 1-0 victory over North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) rival Allegheny in their 2013 season finale.

One of those seniors, Kevin Bond (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley), accounted for the game's lone goal in the 68th minute, and the Tigers withstood a frenetic final sequence to improve to 6-12-1 overall and 2-6-1 in the NCAC. Allegheny fell to 7-8-3 overall and 2-6-1 in the league.

Bond's goal was set up by junior Mitch Rudibaugh (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman), who threaded the needle with a long pass between two Allegheny defenders near midfield. Bond collected the through ball on the run and cut behind one of the defenders, who lost his footing near the top of the penalty area. Bond then struck his left-footed shot just inside of the far post.

The game became decidedly more physical after the goal, but Wittenberg's defense stood tall, including junior Joe Poff (Vandalia, Ohio/Butler), senior Zach White (Lima, Ohio/Temple Christian) and freshman Tucker Stas (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley), who all went the distance across the back line. Senior Tim Weissman (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) also played a key role on defense before exiting the game due to injury late in the second half.

Allegheny held a 21-17 advantage in shots, but just five of the Gators' attempts were on frame. Still, junior goalkeeper James Van Artsdalen (Riverview, Ill./Deerfield) was busy, coming up with a big play late in the first half after a scrum in front of the goal nearly resulted in an unlikely goal. He dove at the last second and punched the ball off his goal line, in addition to five saves and at least two collisions as Allegheny tried desperately to come up with the equalizing goal.