February 26, 2007

Monday, February 26, 2007

This Week in Walsh University Athletics

Tue. 27 Men's Basketball (H) Notre Dame College (AMC Tourney Championship) 7:30 pm (900 AM WCER)

Wed. 28 Men's Tennis vs. Findlay (Hall of Fame 12 pm

Sat. 3 Synchronized Swimming at Zone Regionals at Boston University

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs (26-5, 15-3 AMC S) Meet Notre Dame in AMC Tourney Title Game

NAIA No. 7 Walsh (27-5, 15-3 AMC S) meets Notre Dame College (19-13) in the championship game of American Mideast Conference Qualifying Tournament, Tuesday at home, at 7:30 pm.  The Cavs, the top seed in the South, reached the title game after defeating Ohio Dominican University 80-65, and Roberts Wesleyan College 92-72.  Notre Dame, the top seed in the North, defeated Geneva College 94-93 in overtime, and Mount Vernon Nazarene 102-101 in overtime.  This is the first title appearance for the Blue Falcons, who are coached by former Cavalier player and assistant coach Kevin Bille.  Notre Dame needs a win to gain their first-ever berth to the NAIA II National Tournament.  Walsh has already qualified with an at-large berth.  This is Walsh's first appearance in the AMC Tournament Championship, since they went to the qualifying tournament in 2002.  Walsh will be making its third straight NAIA National Tournament appearance, a school-record.  Tickets are $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for students, and go on sale when the gates open at 6 pm.  The game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

Walsh University advanced to the semifinals of the AMC Qualifying Tournament, with their 80-65 win over Ohio Dominican University (15-16) last Wednesday.   Walsh led from start to finish in downing the Panthers. There were three ties in the first half, the final one at 13-13.  Walsh took the lead for good at the 6:31 mark on a jumper from Josh Johnson (So., Warren, OH/Harding).  Adam Lesch (Sr., Newark, OH/HS) and Brandon Weems (Jr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) scored eight points each in the first half, as the Cavs took a 28-23 lead into the locker room.  The second half was all Walsh, as they shot .567 from the floor, and led by as many as 17 points (70-53).  Walsh placed five players in double figures, led by Eder Araujo’s (Jr., Sao Paulo, Brazil) game-high 19 points. Weems, who leads the NAIA in assists, dished out eight, and scored 17 points.  Corey Jones (Jr., Avon Lake, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) added 11, while Lesch and Johnson each scored 11 points.  The downside to the win came when Jason Hicks (Sr., Cleveland, OH/Villa Angela-St. Joseph) came hobbling to the bench in the final minutes of the game.  After ex-rays were taken, Hicks was found to have a broken bone in his foot.  The Cavs are hopeful for his return in time for Nationals.

Behind ten first half points from Corey Jones, Walsh led Roberts Wesleyan 39-33 at halftime, despite the fact that the Raiders shot .519 from the field in the first half. The second half was all Walsh, as the Cavs shot 21-27 (.778) from the field, and out scored the Raiders 53-39.  The Cavs also hit 8-10 (.800) from behind the arc in the second half.  Walsh held its largest lead at 88-65 with 3:24 to play.  The Cavs placed four players in double figures, led by Eder Araujo’s 19 points, and game-high nine rebounds.  Jones added 16 points and Derek Chappell (Sr., Cleveland, OH/Lutheran East) scored 15 points off the bench.  Brandon Weems dished out 13 assists.

Walsh and Notre Dame are meeting for the first time in the post season and only the third time overall.  The Cavs hold the a 2-0 series edge, and won the last meeting 70-68 in the championship game of Walsh's Thanksgiving Tournament in 2004-05.  The Blue Falcons bring a four-game winning streak into Tuesday's game.  They are led by junior Jerome Pierce (5-8, Toledo, OH/Libbey), who is averaging 20.1 points per game.  He scored 32 points in their overtime win against Mount Vernon Nazarene on Saturday and poured in 45 points in the second half, and overtime, in their win over Geneva.  The Blue Falcons are 3-10 away from home, while the Cavs are 16-1 at home.

Brandon Weems leads the AMC and NAIA in assists, with a 7.4 per game average. He has 214 assists and is only eight shy of tying Bob Bolden's single season mark of 222, set in 1995-96.  Corey Jones leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per game. He is shooting .850 from the foul line, and .439 from three-point, which is fifth in the AMC.   Adam Lesch leads the AMC in field goal percentage (.616) and is ninth in the NAIA.  Eder Araujo is second in the AMC in rebounding, averaging 8.9 per game.  The Cavs are 39-5 at home under Head Coach Jeff Young since the start of the 2004-05 season. Young's overall mark is 81-24, good for a .771 winning percentage, tops in Walsh history.

BASEBALL: Cavs Drop Four in Kentucky

Walsh (0-4) lost all four games in Kentucky this past weekend.  The Cavs are now getting ready for their spring trip in Florida, with games starting on Sunday.

Walsh lost its season opener, 3-2 to Siena Heights University on Friday.  Andy Schon (Sr., Akron, OH/Coventry) fanned 10 in 5.2 innings, but was tagged with the loss.  Chad Campbell (Jr., Ashtabula, OH/Lakeside), Derek Gordon (Sr., Brampton, ONT/Centennial), Jason Pettigrew (Jr., Massillon, OH/Jackson) and Paul Aslanides (R-Fr., Louisville, OH/HS) each had two hits.  Pettigrew drove in one of the Cavs runs with a double.

The Cavs then lost the back end of their split doubleheader, falling 5-4 in nine innings to Lindsey Wilson.  The Cavs trailed until the seventh, when they rallied for two runs to tie the game.  Ryan Indorf's (Jr., Massillon, OH/Jackson) pinch-hit single cut the lead the to 2-1, and Matt Marshall's (Jr., New Boston, OH/Glenwood) double tied the game.  Walsh took the lead in the eighth on a solo homerun by Derek Gordon (Sr., Brampton, ONT/Centennial), only to see Lindsey Wilson tie the game in the bottom of inning.  Walsh would take the lead again in the ninth inning, this time on a solo shot by Mike Weibley (Fr., Mentor, OH/Lake Catholic), only to see Lindsey Wilson rally with two runs in the bottom of the ninth.  Chad Campbell (Jr., Ashtabula, OH/Lakeside) took the loss in relief for the Cavs.

Walsh lost twice on Saturday, 6-3 to Urbana University and 3-2 to unbeaten Campbellsville.  The Cavs mustered just five hits in their loss to Urbana.  Alan Frame (Jr., Atwater, OH/Waterloo) fanned six, but took the loss.  Paul Aslanides had two hits and two RBI for the Cavs.  Against Campbellsville, the Cavs broke-up a perfect game with four consecutive singles in the bottom of sixth, in falling 3-2.  Mike Dougherty (So., Canton, OH/McKinley) fanned five in taking the loss.

WOMEN’S TENNIS: Cavs (0-2) Fall to Nationally Ranked Kenyon

Walsh (0-2) fell 9-0 to NCAA D-III 28th ranked Kenyon College on Saturday.  The team is now preparing for their spring trip to Hilton Head, SC, where they will play two matches.

MEN'S TRACK: McKee, Pierce Shine at Mount Union Open

Sophomore Brendan McKee (Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) and freshman Tyler Pierce (Salem, OH/HS) paced the Cavs at the Mount Union College open on Saturday.  McKee won the 1000m in a time of 2.37.40, while Pierce placed second in the long jump (20-.02.35) and third in the high jump (6-01.50).  McKee has qualified for National's in the mile.

WOMEN'S TRACK: Cavs Do Well at Mount Union Open

Walsh performed well at the Mount Union Open on Saturday.  Ebony Williams (Jr., Akron, OH/Firestone) finished second in the high jump (5-01.25), Danielle Cofojohn (Fr., Diamond, OH/Southeast) in the shot put (39-09.75), Lauren Blase (Fr., Boardman, OH/HS) in the mile (5:35.80), Kristen LeFever (Fr., Alliance, OH/Marlington) in the 800m (2:27) and the team of Brenna Kirkbride (So. Atwater, OH/Waterloo), Haley Rogers (So., Akron, OH/Green), Lindsey Roth (Sr., North Canton, OH/GlenOak) and Casey Fischer (Jr., Aurora, OH/HS) in the 4x160 relay (1.27.84).

Williams has qualified for National's in the high jump.

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING: Rosado Second in Solo in Home Meet

Walsh finished third in the Walsh Invitational, held at the NE Community Center last Saturday.  The Cavs finished with 23 points.  Canisius College finished first with 87 points, with Ohio State finishing second with 29.

Nilda Rosado (Fr., Puerto Rico) placed second in duet with a score of 41.417 and teamed with Margarta Jakovac (So., Zagreb. Croatia/IX Gimnasium) for a third place duet finish (42.000).

This week, the Cavs compete in the Zone Regional at Boston University on Saturday.