November 7, 2005

Athletics > November 7, 2005

Monday, November 7, 2005

Fri. 11 Volleyball at AMC Tournament (Cedarville) vs. Houghton 12 pm

Men's Basketball vs. Saint Francis (Ind.) at Notre Dame (OH) Classic 5:30 pm / AM 900 WCER

Sat. 12 Football (H) Saint Francis (Ind.) 12 pm 900 AM WCER/1305 AM WARF

Men's Basketball vs. UM-Dearborn at Notre Dame Classic 1 pm

Volleyball at AMC Tournament (Cedarville)

FOOTBALL: Cavs (8-2, 5-1) Dominate Urbana; Meet Saint Francis for Title on Saturday

NAIA No. 14 (new poll released today) Walsh (8-2, 5-1) finds themselves in a very familiar position with one game remaining in the regular season. For the fifth straight season the Cavs will meet NAIA second ranked University of Saint Francis (Ind.) (9-0, 6-0) in the regular season finale. And, as always, the teams will play for the Mid-States Football Association title, and for the Cavs, their first playoff berth. Walsh kept in the title chase with a 31-14 win at Urbana on Saturday. Walsh shared the Mideast title with Saint Francis and Tri-State in 2001, but did not receive a playoff berth. Saint Francis clinched at least a share of the title with their win over Quincy last Saturday and has not lost a league game since 2001. The game will be broadcast live on the Walsh University Football Network on AM 900 WCER and 1350 AM WARF and on the internet at www.wcer.us at 11:45 am. Kick off is set for 12 pm at Fawcett Stadium. Giant Eagle of Washington Square in North Canton and Dumont?s Sporting Goods will distribute free tickets to Saturday?s game.

There were plenty of heroes in Saturday's win at Urbana. The Walsh defense held Urbana to 45 yards rushing and 288 yards total offense. The Cavs also shutdown the Blue Knights for three quarters in building a 24-0 lead. The offense had their share of stars as well. Quarterback Sam Cerreta (So., North Canton, OH/Hoover) threw for 249 yards and two touchdown passes and Dustin Stewart (Fr., Ravenna, OH/Southeast) rushed for 124 yards and scored on a 50-yard scamper to finish the scoring. Donel Durham (Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa/Schenley) had his second straight big game, with four catches for 100 yards, one a 58-yard touchdown. Rob Lash (So., Shelby, OH/HS) caught six passes for 105 yards and a TD (23-yards) and returned a punt 70 yards to the Urbana one-yard line and was named MSFA Mideast Special Teams Player of the Week for the fourth time this season.

The Cavs and Saint Francis meet for the eighth time, all-time, with the Cougars holding a 6-1 advantage. Walsh's only win came in the first meeting, 44-41, in 1998. The Cougars, who finished national runner-up last season, steam rolled Quincy University 53-19 last Saturday. The Cougars led 14-0 after the first quarter and 39-11 at halftime. USF totaled 271 yards on the ground and 332 in the air and amassed 603 yards total offense. Quarterback Chris Brammel passed for 319 yards and three TDs and wide receiver Andy Papagiannis caught 12 passes for 183 yards and two TDs. Running back Cory Jacquay, last seasons NAIA-Rawlings Player of the Year, rushed for 75 yards and three TDs.

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Cavs 7th at NAIA Region IX Meet/McKee, Zundel Qualify for Nationals

Walsh (58-18) finished seventh at the NAIA Region IX Championships held at Shawnee State University on Saturday. The Cavs finished with 169 points. Brendan McKee (Fr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) paced the squad with a 17th place finish (27:05) and earned honorable mention All-AMC honors. Chris Zundel (Jr., Madison, OH/HS) was next, with a 28th place finish in a time of 27:40. Both qualified for nationals and will compete on November 19 in Louisville, Kentucky.

Joel Dagenhardt (Sr., Marlington, OH/HS) finished 34th (27:49), Josh Rogers (So., Hartville, OH/Lake) was 39th (27:57) and Sean McBride (Jr., Canton, OH/Central Catholic) placed 46th (28:11).

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Cavs 12th at NAIA Region IX Championships

Walsh (36-45) finished 12th, with 318 points, at the NAIA Region IX Championships held at Shawnee State University on Saturday. Lindsay Cooper (So., Canton, OH/Central Catholic) paced the Cavs with a 50th place finish (21:13). Katie Wirtz (So., Lakewood, OH/HS) was next at 53rd (21:19). Tess Francis (Jr., Waterloo, OH/Randolph) finished 76th (22:02), Andrea DiNinno (Fr., Harrison, PA/Greensburg CC) 85th (22:24) and Alicia Cooper (Fr., Atwater, OH/Waterloo) 87th (22:28).

MEN'S SOCCER: Cavs (11-6-2, 4-3-1) Fall 3-1 to Top Ranked Rio Grande in Playoff Opener

Despite a courageous effort from Walsh (11-6-2), the NAIA No. 1 University of Rio Grande (17-0) escaped with a 3-1 win in an American Mideast Conference Qualifying playoff game at Rio on Saturday. The loss ends the season for the Cavs and sends the Redmen to the NAIA Region IX Final Four next Friday. The Cavs gave the Redmen all they could handle, and led 1-0 on a header from Casey Eck (Fr., North Canton, OH/Hoover), off a corner from Ryan Inama (Jr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) just six minutes into the game. Rio Grande came right back however, and knotted the game just forty seconds later. The Redmen then took the lead for good at the 30-minute mark of the first half. The game remained 2-1, until the Redmen scored an insurance goal at the 87-minute mark. Rio out shot the Cavs 13-6 and led in corners 5-3. Senior goalie Eric Brockmeier (Marietta, OH/HS) had five saves for the Cavs.

The Cavs 11 wins are the most since the 2000 season, when they won 15 games. Sam Hayes (So., Blackburn, England/St. Augestines) led the team with eight goals and 21 points. Leon O'Neill (Jr., Blackburn, England, Nordan) and Ryan Inama (Jr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) each had 14 points. Inama led the Cavs with eight assists. Walsh's defense was stingy the entire season, allowing only 44 goals in 19 games. Senior goalie, Eric Brockmeier had five shutouts and a 0.99 goals against average. The Cavs will graduate eight seniors from the 2005 team.

VOLLEYBALL: Cavs (20-13, 8-8) Win Last Four, Meet Houghton in Playoff Opener

Walsh (20-13, 8-8) won all three matches last week and enter the American Mideast Conference Tournament on a four-match winning streak. Walsh, the fifth seed from the AMC South, will meet Houghton College (14-20), the sixth seed from the AMC North at 12 pm at Cedarville University on Friday. The winner meets the second seed from the North Division at 4 pm. The tournament is single elimination.

Walsh won three big AMC South road matches last week, starting with a win at Tiffin University. After dropping game one 19-30, Walsh rebounded to win the next two games (30-28, 30-25), before the Dragons rallied to even the match with a win in game four (23-30). Walsh then took the fifth and deciding game 15-12. Jamie Herr (5-9, Jr., Attica, OH/Seneca East) paced the Cavs with 23 kills and also added 21 digs. Jillian Barry (5-5, So., Salem, OH/HS) handed out 57 assists, Caitlin Doon (5-6, So., Columbus, OH/DeSales) had 25 digs and Erica Parker (6-0, Fr., Concord, OH/Mentor) and Hilary Dattilo (5-10, Fr., Mason, OH/HS) each contributed 3.5 blocks. Parker also had four aces and 12 kills. Megan McDonald (5-10, Fr., Kirkland, IL/Rockford Lutheran) added 14 kills, while freshman, Meagan Buffington (5-7, Fr., Solon, OH/HS) also contributed 12 digs on the defensive effort.

Walsh evened its American Mideast Conference South mark with a two-game sweep at Shawnee State University on Saturday.

Walsh defeated Shawnee State 30-23, 30-16, 30-11. Jillian Barry dished out 41 assists in the win over the Bears. Erica Parker had 15 kills, two assists and 4.5 blocks and Caitlin Doon had nine digs. The Cavs then stopped Ohio Dominican 30-28, 30-25, 30-25. Barry led with 40 assists, Parker had 16 kills and Jamie Herr added 21 digs.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs Open Defense of NAIA Title on Friday

Walsh opens defense of its first NAIA National Championship at the Notre Dame College (OH) Tournament on Friday. The Cavs open their 44th season against the University of Saint Francis (Ind.). The game will broadcast live on 900 AM WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us. The Cougars opened the season with back-to-back wins in a home tournament last weekend. They defeated IU-Northwest 99-63 and Trinity International 94-66. Saint Francis leads the all-time series 2-1. Walsh plays the University of Michigan-Dearborn at 1 pm on Saturday.

NAIA Coach of the Year, Jeff Young (28-12), welcomes back three starters and nine letter winners from the 2004-2005 championship team. The Cavs return starters Jason Hicks (PG, 5-10, Jr., Cleveland, OH/Villa Angela-St. Joseph, 10.8 ppg), Corey Jones (G, 6-3, So., Avon Lake, OH/Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, 11.6) and Adam Lesch (F, 6-8, Jr., Newark, OH/HS, 5.9 ppg). Also back is guard Brandon Weems (5-10, So., Akron, OH/Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary, 6.5 ppg). Gone are NAIA Player of the Year Robert Whaley (19.9 ppg) and honorable mention All-American Randy Sistrunk (12.4 ppg). Whaley was a second round pick of the Utah Jazz. For a complete basketball outlook, log on the Walsh University website at www.walsh.edu and go to athletics and men's basketball.