Tigers Make History Defeating Allegheny To Open NCAC Tournament

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Following the program's first-ever 6-0 North Coast Athletic Conference record and first top seed in the NCAC tournament, the Wittenberg women's lacrosse team heaped on the 'firsts' with a 12-5 win over Allegheny in an NCAC semifinal on Thursday.

Moving to 12-4 overall, the Tigers claimed their first NCAC tournament victory ever while simultaneously hosting a semifinal for the first time. The win is the first postseason victory of any kind to be found in the team's history books, which begin with thorough records in 1981.

Wittenberg also broke the single-season scoring record, finishing the game with 213 goals on the season, eight better than the previous mark of 205, set in 2011. The 2011 total broke the previous record of 201, set in 2010, meaning the Tigers have broken the record in three consecutive seasons.

Finally, the Tigers tied the single-season victories record, equalling the mark of 12 first established in 1987 (12-4) and tied in 1990 (12-5).

In Granville, Ohio, No. 2 Denison topped No. 3 Wooster by a score of 20-10, earning the right to face Wittenberg in the 2012 NCAC Championship game on Saturday, May 5, at Edwards-Maurer Field in Springfield at 5 p.m. The winner of the tournament claims both the NCAC regular season title and the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III postseason.

In the semifinal victory, Wittenberg stormed out to a 4-1 lead through 15 minutes of play following two goals each from senior Jennifer Close (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) and junior Erin Guiliano (Loveland, Ohio/Kings). Sophomore Alie Marousek (Pittsburgh, Pa./Portsmouth (NH)) assisted on both of Close's goals.

Allegheny responded with three of the next four goals to cut the lead to 5-4 one minute into the second half. Junior goalkeeper Katie Bondy (Westerville, Ohio/South) gave Wittenberg a chance to build the lead back up with 11 second half saves, and the offense responded in kind with seven goals to Allegheny's one over the final 28 minutes.

Bondy finished the game with a career-high 19 saves while stopping seven of Allegheny's 11 free-position shots, and the team had five players score two goals. They included Close, Guiliano, Marousek, senior Lindsey Hanners (Hartland, Wisc./Arrowhead) and freshman Logan Warye (Maineville, Ohio/Kings).

Marousek counted two assists among her totals, while Warye and freshmanLindsey Gaterman (St. Louis, Mo./Webster Groves) each helped on one goal and senior Katie Frey (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston) caused three Allegheny turnovers

John Strawn '07