Tigers Capture 14th Consecutive NCAC Title

Photo Credit | Trent Sprague '22
Photo Credit | Trent Sprague '22
October 29, 2019
Box Score

Springfield, OH – For the 14th year in a row and the 25th time in program history, the Wittenberg women's volleyball team has earned the North Coast Athletic Conference title. The Wittenberg Tigers closed out the 2019 NCAC regular season, taking on the Denison University Big Red from Pam Evans Smith Arena on Tuesday evening. The Tigers took down Denison 3-0 [25-17, 25-19, 25-14], capping off NCAC regular-season action without dropping a set in conference play. The Tigers garnered a .185 hitting percentage on the night, logging 46 kills on 157 total attacks. Sophomore Katie Hiestand led the Tiger attack with 18 kills, finishing with a .224 hitting percentage, adding 15 digs and a service ace to her total. Ashley Brooks tallied a team-high .556 hitting percentage, putting down five kills while leading the Wittenberg offense with 18 assists.

Match Breakdown

Wittenberg fended off the Big Red attack through the early going, taking a 16-10 lead before Denison was forced to take a timeout. Wittenberg kept the pressure up, extending their advantage out to 20-13. The Tiger's closed out the first set, posting a .212 hitting percentage, putting down 17 kills on 52 total attacks, taking the first set 25-17. Wittenberg kept the momentum rolling into the second set, taking a 13-10 lead over the Big Red. Denison was forced to take a timeout, as the Tiger hitters added on to their lead at 18-11. Wittenberg finished off the Big Red in the final set, as Hiestand put down the final two points for the Tigers. The two sides battled it out through the early going in the final set, with the score going to 10-10 before Wittenberg was able to get back on top. The Tiger's quickly jumped back out after the Denison timeout, starting with a Lexie Weithman service ace. A Taylor Yontz service rally helped take the Tiger lead out to 20-12. Wittenberg put the match away, posting .224 hitting percentage with 15 kills on 49 swings with just four errors in the final set.

UP NEXT

Wittenberg will return to action over the weekend, traveling to Emory College on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 1-2 to take on Randolph-Macon, Birmingham-Southern, and Emory from the Emory National Invitational.