This Week in Walsh University Athletics
Tues. 24
Men's Basketball (H) Malone University 7:30 pm (AM 900 WCER, www.wcer. us)
Sat. 28
Women's Basketball (H) Taylor University 2 pm
Men's Basketball (H) Penn State-Fayette 4 pm
MEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs Open 4-0/Host Malone in 44th Mayors’ Cup Game on Tuesday
NAIA No. 6 Walsh (4-0) continued to score in high numbers with three more wins last week. The Cavs defeated Houghton College 84-49 on Tuesday at Alumni Arena. The Cavs then recorded a record-setting win against Paul Smith's College (137-56) on Friday in the first game of the Houghton College Classic. On Saturday the Cavs completed the weekend sweep with a 94-58 win over Hesser College. The Cavs are home twice this week, starting with the 46th Annual Mayors' Cup game with Malone University on Tuesday at 7:30 pm. Tickets will be on sale starting Tuesday at 12 pm at the Alumni Arena box office. Reserved tickets are $8.00, general admission $5.00, students and senior citizens $3.00 and children under 10 are free. Walsh students are admitted with a valid ID. Doors open at 6:30 pm. On Saturday, the Cavs host Penn State Fayette University at 4 pm. Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER (www.wcer.us).
Walsh placed five players in double figures in their win over Houghton College. The Cavs shot over 50% from the floor in each half and shot 54% for the night. Ricky Jackson (6-7, Sr., Canton, OH/McKinley/West Virginia State) scored 11 of his game-high 23 points in the first half as the Cavs built a 44-28 halftime lead. Jackson also had seven rebounds and five assists. The Cavs moved the ball well the entire night, recording 28 assists. The second half was all Walsh, as they outscored the Highlanders 40-21. They held Houghton to just 6-37 (16%) from the floor in the second half. The final margin provided the Cavs with their largest lead. Freshman Kenny Kornowski (6-9, Marshallville, OH/Smithville) scored 14 points off the bench to go with eight rebounds. He was 7-9 from the floor. Kyelce Cescato (6-10, Sr., Barra Bonita, Brazil/Colmeia Entec) hit 6-8 from the field and scored 12 points to go with a game-high nine rebounds. Brandon Speck (6-0, Sr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) and L.J. Sutton (6-5, So., Youngstown, OH/Cardinal Mooney) each added 10 points. Jeremy Shardo (6-3, Jr., Yorkshire, OH/Versailles) handed out a game-high nine assists.
Walsh cruised to its third straight win, a record-setting 137-56 romp over Paul Smith's College. The 81-point margin of victory is a new record, smashing the previous mark of 71 points set in a 96-25 win over Mt. Vernon Bible in 1983. Walsh placed eight players in double figures and came within one point of tying the mark for points in a single game. Walsh shot 60% in the first half in building a 68-27 halftime lead. Ricky Jackson led the balanced scoring attack with 22 points on 7-10 from the floor. Lamar Skeeter (6-0, Jr., Dayton, OH/Kettering Fairmont) added 19 points on 9-13 from the floor. Skeeter also grabbed seven rebounds. Eric Schiele (6-0, Sr., Atwater, OH/Waterloo/Cleveland State) scored 16 points, grabbed six rebounds and handed out five assists. Kyelce Cescato chipped in 16 points, Kenny Kornowski 13 points, L.J. Sutton and Tim Congrove (5-10, Fr., Circleville, OH/Logan Elms) scored 12 points each and Jeremy Shardo scored 11 points and handed out six assists.
Walsh used first half runs of 15-4 and 14-4 to take a 52-29 halftime lead in their win over Hesser. The Cavs then shot 55% (16-29) in the second half in outscoring Hesser 42-29. Walsh placed four players in double figures led by Ricky Jackson's 19 points. Jackson connected on 8-14 from the field. Eric Schiele added 16 points and seven rebounds off the bench and Kenny Kornowski tallied 13 points and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds off the bench. Kyelce Cescato was also in double figures with 10 points on 5-6 from the floor. The Cavs bench tallied 41 points.
Walsh and Malone University (2-2) meet in the 46th Annual Mayors' Cup game on Tuesday. The Cavs lead the Cup series 26-19 and can retire the trophy for the fifth time with a win on Tuesday. The Cavs lead the all-time series 60-39 and have won the last five meetings and 11 of the last 12. Malone is 2-2 under new head coach Tim Walker. The Pioneers knocked off NAIA no. 9 Indiana Wesleyan University 68-59 on Saturday. The Pioneers have three players in double figures, led by Eric Coblentz's 14.8 per game average.
Walsh and Penn State Fayette University meet for the first time on Saturday. The Roaring Lions are 0-4 on the season and play at Point Park University on Tuesday.
Walsh's balanced attack has seven players in double figures, led by Ricky Jackson's 21.3 ppg. Jackson is shooting 65% from the field on 32-49. Eric Schiele is averaging 14.5 points and 6.3 rebounds off the bench. Jeremy Shardo is averaging 12.3 points and 6.3 assists. Kyelce Cescato is averaging 11.0 and 7.3 rebounds. L.J. Sutton is at an 11.0 ppg clip, Kenny Kornowski 10.8 points and 7.3 rebounds and Lamar Skeeter 10.7 points. The Cavs are averaging 105.0 points per game and allowing 65.8. Walsh is shooting .523 from the field and are out-rebounding the opponents by 20 per game. This is the Cavs first 4-0 start since they won the NAIA National Championship in 2005.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs Improve to 5-1
Walsh improved to 5-1 with a 71-56 win over visiting Ohio Dominican University last Friday night in their only game of the week. This week they host Taylor University on Saturday at 2 pm. The Cavs 5-1 start equals their 2003-04 start.
Katie Berry (5-11, Jr., Cleveland, OH/St. Joseph) and Jessie Miller (Sr., 5-10 Strasburg, OH/HS) scored 24 points apiece to lead Walsh over Ohio Dominican University (1-2). Walsh took the lead for good at 15-13 on a Kayla Kovach (So., 6-0, Lakewood, OH/HS/IPFW) layup with 13:44 to play in the first half. Walsh would extend the lead to 13 points at 36-23 with 2:27 to play in the half and lead 36-27 at the break. Walsh shot 50% in the first half on 15-30 from the floor. Berry scored 11 first half points. Walsh never trailed in the second half, but had their lead trimmed to two points at 37-35 with 17:49 to play. It was as close as the Panthers would come. Walsh finally extended the lead to double figures at 59-49 with five minutes to play and led by 17 points at 71-54 with 42 seconds left. Miller scored 16 of her career-high 24 points in the second half, shooting 8-13 from the floor, 3-5 from the line and 5-5 from the foul line. Berry hit on 10-15 from the field. She also grabbed six rebounds. Kovach added 11 points and seven rebounds. Walsh shot 49% (28-57) for the night and out-rebounded the Panthers 34-28
Walsh and Taylor (3-2) are meeting for the third time, with the Trojans holding a 2-0 series advantage. They defeated the Cavs 75-67 last season at Taylor. The Trojans host the University of Saint Francis on Tuesday night. Bethany Ballard leads the team in scoring and is averaging 16.5 points. The defensive minded Trojans are averaging 70.6 points, while giving up 64.4 points per game.
Jessie Miller is averaging a team-best 17.5 ppg and is shooting .565 from the field and .909 from the line. Katie Berry is averaging 15.3 points, 4.7 assists per game, 5.0 rebounds and is shooting .523 from the field and .818 from the line. Cara Bedard is averaging 14.7 ppg and is shooting .600 from the field. Transfer Kayla Kovach is averaging 14.2 ppg and a team-best 6.7 rebounds. Kovach is shooting .540 from the field and .810 from the line. Walsh is shooting .517 from the field and .734 from the stripe. The Cavs are averaging 78.3 points, while holding the opponents to 63.8 points.
VOLLEYBALL: Cavs Fall at Indiana Tech in NAIA First Round National Tournament Match
Walsh's (28-9) outstanding season came to a close as they were defeated in four sets by Indiana Tech (33-9) in a first round NAIA National Tournament match in Fort Wayne, Indiana on Saturday. The NAIA 17th ranked Warriors downed the Cavs 25-22, 28-26, 14-25 and 25-17. The second set was the key to the match, as Walsh led most of the match and 26-25 before falling 26-28. Each team was making their second straight trip to the National Tournament. Indiana Tech will now advance to Sioux City, Iowa.
Natalie Phillips (5-10, So., Wooster, OH/HS) led the Cavs attack with 18 kills. She also added 12 digs. Natalie Borland (MB, 6-0, Sr., Kent, OH/HS) added 13 kills and a team-high three blocks. Brittany Morris (MB, 5-11, Fr., North Royalton, OH/Padua) chipped in 10 kills and three aces and Hannah Duran (Fr., 5-9, Grafton, OH/Midview) handed out 45 assists and had 11 digs. Kristen Rohlfs (5-8, So., Loveland, OH/Mount Notre Dame) led the Cavs with 35 digs.
