Wittenberg Opens Season With Loss To William Smith At Gettysburg College Players Cup

GETTYSBURG, Pa. — The Wittenberg Tiger women's soccer team opened the season with a loss in the Gettysburg College Players Cup.

September 1, 2007
             Lisa Rusch

   Lisa Rusch

GETTYSBURG, Pa. - The Wittenberg Tiger women's soccer team opened the season with a loss in the Gettysburg College Players Cup. An atypically sluggish Tiger defense allowed 10 shots on goal, and senior goalkeeper Meghan O'Rourke (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) gave up three goals in a performance which was also atypical. In 2006, opponents scored on O'Rourke at an average of only 0.48 goals per game.

The Tigers pick up play Sunday versus Ithaca at 10:30 a.m. to round out their participation in the Players cup.

Both teams' defensive lapses came in the first period, before the Tigers played shutout soccer in the second. The Red & White defense reduced William Smith's shots from six in the first half to four in the second half, but it wasn't enough as the offense could not produce on the other end of the field. Wittenberg shot just three times in the second half, with only two starters managing shots on goal.

The Tiger's lone goal came in the first period, in minute 35, as senior forward Lisa Rusch (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) scored unassisted with a bouncer, cutting across the front of the goal. Following Sunday's matchup with Ithaca, the Tiger women return home to Springfield for a Wednesday match with non-conference rival Capital at 7 p.m. on Edwards-Maurer Field.

Written by: John Strawn '07