Tigers Hold On To NCAC Top Spot With Win At Ohio Wesleyan

DELAWARE, Ohio — For the first time in a decade, the Wittenberg women's lacrosse team stands 3-0 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) after the Tigers picked up a 17-10 victory over host Ohio Wesleyan.

The last time Wittenberg started the NCAC schedule with three straight wins was in 2002. That team, however, lost its next four NCAC regular season game before bowing out 13-12 to Ohio Wesleyan in the semifinals of the NCAC Tournament.

Wittenberg hasn't won more than three games in the NCAC since 2003, when the Tigers finished 5-2. Several stern tests lie ahead in 2012, starting with a home game against Allegheny on April 21, followed by a road trip to defending conference champion Denison four days later.

Until then, however, the Tigers will be able to see their team atop the conference standings while playing St. Vincent on April 14 and Otterbein on April 16. Overall, Wittenberg stands 6-4.

A fast start propelled the Tigers to the big win at Ohio Wesleyan as Wittenberg jumped out to a 7-0 lead through the first 13 minutes of the game. By halftime, the Battling Bishops had closed to within 8-4, and after scoring the first three goals of the second half OWU appeared to have all the momentum.

The Tigers responded with a 3-1 run over a 10-minute span, and after the Bishops scored with 14:41 remaining, Wittenberg put the game out of reach with a five-goal blitz covering less than five minutes on the clock.

Wittenberg outshot its hosts 34-23 and picked up one more ground ball. The Wittenberg goalkeeping duo of junior Katie Bondy (Westerville, Ohio/South) and sophomore Jessica Jensen (Hartland, Wisc./) split time in goal, combining for seven saves.

Offensively, junior Kellen Morrissey (Aurora, Colo./Smoky Hill), senior Jennifer Close (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) and sophomore Alie Marousek (Pittsburgh, Pa./Portsmouth (NH)) led with three goals apiece. Marousek added a whopping four assists, while freshmen Megan and Kim Loofbourrow (Prospect, Ky./Ballard)chipped in two goals each.

Also of note, Morrissey led with eight ground balls to go along with three draw controls and three caused turnovers, and sophomore Francine Murzynski (Mentor, Ohio/Lake Catholic) was outstanding as well with five ground balls, a game-high eight draw controls and three caused turnovers.