Tigers Jump Back Into NCAC Race With Win Over Kenyon

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - The Wittenberg Tigers won for the third time in their last four North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) games with a 1-0 shutout of Kenyon.

The Ladies came into the game unbeaten in their first four NCAC games and atop the league standings. Kenyon is now part of a three-way tie for first place at 4-1 in the NCAC (12 points), followed closely by Wooster with 10 points and Wittenberg with nine.

Only the top four teams in the final regular season standings earn a spot in the NCAC Tournament. The Tigers, who are 7-5-1 overall, have three games remaining, starting with a road trip to Wooster on Saturday, Oct. 25.

Sporting pink jerseys in an effort to raise awareness about breast cancer, the Tigers put together one of their most complete performances of the 2014 season. In the first half, Wittenberg outshot Kenyon by a 9-5 margin, but the two teams remained knotted at 0-0 through halftime.

Over the final 45 minutes, Wittenberg controlled much of the action, while Kenyon successfully built several threatening counterattacks to account for a 9-7 advantage in shots. The Ladies were unable to break through, however, as opposed to the Tigers who got a hustle goal from senior Chelsey Marcum (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville) in the 75th minute off a touch from junior Kate Burns (Granger, Ind./Penn), who beat the Kenyon goalkeeper and a defender to a loose ball near the top of the penalty area.

Marcum led Wittenberg with four shots in the game, while Burns contributed three to the attack. Senior Tobie Weston (Worthington, Ohio/Worthington Christian) added three shots and freshman Lauren Hofer (Avon, Ind./Cardinal Ritter) chipped in with two attempts on frame.

The Tiger defense bent on several occasions but didn't break, backstopped by freshman goalkeeper Alexa Murrietta (Las Vegas, Nev./Shadow Ridge) and her eight saves.

Written By: Ryan Maurer