Tigers Take NCAC Title for the Seventh Consecutive TIme

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Sarah Yuskewich

The Wittenberg volleyball team opens NCAA Division III Tournament play this week after winning three straight North Coast Athletic Conference matches last week to capture the NCAC Tournament title. Wittenberg, ranked No. 5 in the nation in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, will host the Great Lakes Regional at the HPER Center.

Play opens on Thursday with preliminary round matches between Alma and Thomas More at 4:30 p.m. and Ohio Northern and Chatham at 7 p.m. On Friday, the winner of the Ohio Northern/Chatham match advances to play Mount St. Joseph and the Alma/Thomas More winner advances to play Wittenberg at 7 p.m.

Wittenberg has now won 51 straight NCAC regular season matches, dating back to Oct. 18, 1997 and at Case Western Reserve, and 21 consecutive NCAC Tournament matches, dating back to a loss to Ohio Wesleyan in the 1996 championship match. Wittenberg has also won seven straight regular season and tournament titles. The Tigers are hoping to extend the successes of a year ago, when they finished 34-8 overall and won the first Great Lakes Regional title in school history. Wittenberg lost to eventual national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater in the national quarterfinals a year ago after defeating Ohio Northern and Mount St. Joseph in regional tourney matches at the HPER Center.

Last Tuesday, Wittenberg overwhelmed No. 8 seed Ohio Wesleyan, 3-0, in the NCAC tournament quarterfinals. Among the statistical leaders were senior Michelle Emming (West Chester, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame), who had 13 digs and 10 kills, senior Jennifer Emming (West Chester, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame), who had 11 digs and 10 kills, and senior Katie Preuss (Glenview, Ill./Glenbrook South), who finished with 21 assists and 11 digs.

On Friday, Wittenberg easily defeated No. 4 seed Denison, 3-0, in the NCAC tournament semifinals. Junior Kristin Fox (Galion, Ohio/Galion) recorded 11 kills and the Tigers got 10 more from senior Lindsay Nelson (Massillon, Ohio/Tuslaw). Sophomore Emily Dixon (Granville, Ohio/Granville) added five blocks, juniorEmilie Schmid (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Jackson) was tremendous defensively with 28 digs and junior Sarah Yuskewich (Columbus, Ohio/Watterson) put forth her usual stellar performance with 44 assists.

On Saturday, Wittenberg put the finishing touches on yet another perfect NCAC regular season and tournament championship with a 3-0 victory over Hiram. With the win, the Tigers advanced claimed their seventh consecutive NCAC tournament title on the heels of the seventh consecutive NCAC regular season title, and moved on to their eighth straight NCAA Division III Tournament. Wittenberg got 14 kills from Michelle Emming, 22 digs from Schmid, seven blocks from Dixon and 45 assists from Yuskewich. The Tigers were never threatened in the championship match, and they completed the season with a perfect 33-0 record in games this season against NCAC foes.

Yuskewich was named NCAC Tournament MVP. Fox and Schmid were also chosen for the all-tournament team.