SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Wittenberg women's basketball team defeated Capital University for the first time since 2003 on Wednesday night, improving to 2-1 on the season with a dominant 61-46 victory.
The Tigers used an early 10-point run to set the pace in the win, the first against the Crusaders since a 71-64 decision on Nov. 29, 2003.
In the first half alone, eight different Tigers grabbed a rebound, including seven with at least two, and four with three, on the way to a 22-14 halftime rebounding advantage.
Senior Amber Rice (South Charleston, Ohio/Southeastern) had three boards in the first half to go with a team-best 12 points. She was instrumental in the early 10-point string, scoring five points on a three-pointer and the jump shot that completed the run.
The margin blossomed into a 37-18 halftime lead as the Tigers limited Capital to 32 percent shooting from the field and misses on all five three-point attempts in the opening period.
The defense held steady in the second period, with Capital again going 0-for-5 from long range and just 8-of-31 from the field (25.8 percent) in the final 20 minutes, while the Tigers finished the game with a 43.6 percent shooting mark.
Every Wittenberg player to hit the floor scored in the game, led by Rice's 16 points. She also posted four steals, a figure matched by junior Darbie Zirkle (St. Paris, Ohio/Graham), who led the team with seven rebounds and also scored seven points.
Sophomore Ali Miller (Cincinnati, Ohio/McNicholas) contributed nine points and six rebounds to the effort, followed by seven points from sophomore Taylore Bundy (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) and six apiece for junior Amber Lara (Oak Park, Ill./River Forest) and freshman Michelle Brunswick (Middletown, Ohio/Madison), who each went 3-for-4 from the floor, as well as sophomore Carli Swartz (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./Lower Merion). Lara and Miller each additionally grabbed six boards.
Zirkle, junior Heather Schroeder (Aurora, Ohio/Aurora) and freshman Riley McDonald (Dexter, Mich./Dexter) all shared the team-lead in the passing game with three assists.
The Tigers' next engagement is a 7:30 p.m. road game at Franklin (Ind.) on Saturday, Nov. 23.
John Strawn '07