Strong Start for Tiger Women's Soccer With 1-0 Win Over Methodist

Matt Fannon picked up his first career head coaching victory with freshmen providing key plays on offense and in goal.

Mary Clare Yerke and the Tiger defense held Methodist in check in a season-opening 1-0 victory. File Photo | Erin Pence
Mary Clare Yerke and the Tiger defense held Methodist in check in a season-opening 1-0 victory. File Photo | Erin Pence
August 31, 2013
Box Score

BALTIMORE, Md. – The new-look Wittenberg Tigers opened the 2013 season in fine fashion, picking up a 1-0 win over Methodist in a game played at Johns Hopkins University.

The win was the first in the head coaching career of Matt Fannon, who took the reins at Wittenberg in April. It was achieved with a host of young players in key roles for the Tigers, who lost five starters to graduation following a North Coast Athletic Conference title a year ago.

After a scoreless first half, Wittenberg got all the scoring it would need from one of those newcomers. Freshman Michelle Brunswick (Middletown, Ohio/Madison) found an opening in the Methodist defense and slotted the ball into the top right corner of the net in the 56th minute.

That unassisted goal stood up thanks to the fine work of Wittenberg's defensive unit, led by the starting core of junior Mary Clare Yerke (Columbus, Ohio/Upper Arlington), Brunswick, sophomore Zoe Curry (Milford, Ohio/Ursuline) and sophomore Mackenzie Bolon (Columbus, Ohio/Bexley). They were backstopped by a pair of Tiger goalkeepers as sophomore Maggie Grieser (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham) and freshman Kelsey Lorko (Fairview Park, Ohio/Fairview) each spent a half between the pipes.

For the game, Wittenberg held a 15-8 advantage in shots and attempted six corner kicks to four for Methodist. Grieser was credited with two saves and Lorko finished with four.

The Tigers will wrap up the season-opening trip with a game against Averett at noon Sunday.