Round Up: Tigers Pick Up Two Wins and a Tie, Remaining Undefeated

Liz Volz

The Wittenberg women's soccer team continued its magical ride through the 2004 season last weekend, upsetting perennial North Coast Athletic Conference powerhouse Allegheny on the road. It was the second straight 1-0 road win over a 2003 NCAC Tournament participant, coming a week after a 1-0 victory over Wooster.

The win against the Gators was even more dramatic than the win over Wooster since the game's lone goal was scored in overtime. A week after freshman midfielder Lisa Rusch (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) earned NCAC Player of the Week honors for scoring the game-winning goal against Wooster, sophomore forward Liz Volz (Cincinnati, Ohio/Seton) earned the same honor for her strike from the top of the penalty box that beat the Allegheny goalkeeper last Saturday.

In between the two NCAC victories, the Tigers earned a 1-1 tie against Wilmington on Sept. 28. Once again taking on a strong opponent on its home turf, the youthful Tigers rebounded from an early goal by the Quakers to even the score on a shot by sophomore defensive back Lauren Fraley (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy). Freshman goalkeeper Meghan O'Rourke (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), who leads the NCAC with six shutouts and ranks second in saves percentage at .857, made that score stand up.

After a full week off, the Tigers are back in action Saturday with perhaps their biggest home game in several years. Nationally ranked Ohio Wesleyan invades Bill Edwards Field for a 1 p.m. kick-off on Saturday. Both teams are unbeaten in NCAC action so far this season, but OWU has a decided advantage in the all-time series between the two programs. The Battling Bishops have won 15 of the first 18 meetings, while the Tigers have just one win ever against Ohio Wesleyan.