This Week in Walsh University Athletics
Monday, October 27, 2008
Tuesday 28
Men's Soccer (H) University of Saint Francis 3 pm
Friday 31
Volleyball (H) Cedarville University 7 pm
Saturday 1
Football (H) Ohio Dominican University 3 pm *
Women's Soccer at Mount Vernon Nazarene 1 pm
Men's Soccer at Mount Vernon Nazarene 3 pm
Volleyball (H) Carlow University 11 am/University of Northwestern Ohio 3 pm
* Broadcast live on AM 900 WCER, SportsRadio 1350 AM
FOOTBALL: Cavs (2-6, 0-3) Fall at NAIA No. 3 Saint Francis/Home Finale Next
Walsh (2-6, 0-3) lost for the 11th straight time to the University of Saint Francis (IN), falling 52-12 in a Mid-States Football Association Mideast game at Fort Wayne, Indiana on Saturday. The loss guarantees the Cavs their second straight losing season, with three games to play. This Saturday, they are home for a MSFA Mideast game with Ohio Dominican University at 3 pm at Fawcett Stadium. The game will be broadcast live on the Walsh University Football Radio Network (AM 900 WCER, SportsRadio 1350 AM) and on the internet at www.wcer.us and www.sportsradio1350.com.
NAIA No. 3 USF (7-0, 4-0) turned a close game into a rout, with four touchdowns into a little over five minutes, in defeating the Cavs 52-12 on Saturday. With Walsh trailing 17-12 late in the first half, USF scored twice in the final 2:46 of the first half and twice in the first 2:23 of the second half, to turn a five-point lead into a 33-point lead. USF opened the scoring on their second possession, on a 10-yard run at the 8:15 mark of the first quarter. Walsh answered, when Jason Stiel (So., Reynoldsburg, OH/HS) intercepted a Cougar pass and returned it 30 yards to the 10-yard line late in the first quarter. Jeff Tallman (Jr., Canton, OH/Perry) then raced seven yards for a score at the 5:33 mark of the quarter. The extra point attempt was blocked, and proved costly when holder and Cavs' punter J.C. Heighway (Sr., North Canton, OH/Hoover) was blindsided and suffered a concussion. USF answered on the next possession, with a 29-yd TD run to take a 14-6 lead at the 1:22 mark of the first quarter.
The Cougars increased their lead to 17-6 at the 12:43 mark of the second quarter on a 33-yard field goal. Walsh would answer however, as Tallman finished off a six-play, 59-yard drive, with a 25-yard TD run. Walsh's two-point pass failed, and the Cavs trailed 17-12. The Cougars would answer the score on their next drive on a one-yard TD run and lead 24-12 with 2:26 left in the half. Walsh quickly went three and out, and USF went 65 yards in eight-plays to score on a five-yard TD pass to lead 31-12 at halftime.
The third quarter turned disastrous, when Jeff Tallman fumbled on the 28-yardline on the first play from scrimmage. USF recovered and scored quickly on a 23-yard TD pass to lead 38-12. Walsh's Marc Pullen (Sr., Akron, OH/Ellet) was then picked off on the next possession for a 40-yard return for a score to increase the USF lead to 45-12. The Cougars tacked on one more scored in the final period to end the scoring. USF totaled 524 yards total offense, while holding the Cavs to just 79 yards. Jeff Tallman led the Cavs with 69 yards rushing.
Walsh plays host to Ohio Dominican University (4-3, 2-2) on Saturday (3 pm). Walsh leads the all-time series 3-1, but lost 56-20 in Columbus last season. The Panthers have lost two of their last three games, but won last Saturday 24-6 at home against Taylor University. ODU quarterback Cris Reisert leads the MSFA in passing, throwing for 308.1 yards per game, and with 18 touchdowns. Walsh will honor its senior players and cheerleaders in pre-game ceremonies.
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Cavs Second at USATF Regional Meet at Malone/McKee 10th
Walsh (46-23) finished third (95) at the USATA Regional Meet held at Malone University on Saturday. Malone (18), the NAIA's number one team, won the event. NAIA ninth ranked Huntington finishing second (58). Marion, 26th ranked in the NAIA placed fourth (107) and Ashland University (155) fifth. The Cavs are idle this week, in preparation for the American Mideast Conference Championship meet on November 8.
Brendan McKee (Sr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) paced the Cavs with a 10th place finish in a time of 19:44. Mike Groholy (Sr., Parma, OH/Valley Forge) placed 14th (19:54), David Leary (Fr., Northwest, OH/Canal Fulton) 25th (20:21), Jordan Johnson (So., Louisville, OH/HS) 30th (20:56), Phil Kress (Fr., Canton, OH/St. Thomas Aquinas) 33rd (21:04), Matt Long (Jr., Mogadore, OH/Field) 34th (21:10) and Dan Opeka (Fr., Louisville, OH/St. Thomas Aquinas) 39th (21:26).
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Cavs Second at USATF Regional Meet at Malone/DiNinno Third
Walsh (55-24) finished second (52) at the USATF Regional Meet at Malone University on Saturday. Malone (22) finished first; Ursuline College (88) placed third and Marian College (122) fourth. The Cavs are idle this week, in preparation for the American Mideast Conference Championship meet on November 8.
Andrea DiNinno (Sr., Harrison City, PA/Greensburg CC) paced the Cavs with a third place finish in a time of 15:29. Katie Laughlin (Fr., Malvern, OH/Canton South) and Megan Case (So., Louisville, OH.HS) each notched top ten finishes. Laughlin finished 7th (16:03) and Case 9th (16:13).
Jackie Delamater (So., Uniontown, OH/Hoover) placed 12th (16:22), Erin Koppel (Sr., McDonald, OH/HS) 21st (17:23), Kim Swartz (Fr., Tiffin, OH/Tiffin Calvert) 22nd (17:35), Chantelle Richards (So., Akron, OH/East) 24th (17:40) and Ashley Demsey (Sr., Parma, OH/Padua Franciscan) 26th (18:05).
MEN'S SOCCER: Cavs (6-9-1, 4-6) lose at Ohio Dominican, fall from Post Season Race
Walsh (6-9-1, 4-6) fell out of the American Mideast Conference playoff race, with their 2-0 loss at Ohio Dominican University on Tuesday night. The Cavs play their home finale on Tuesday at 3 pm, with a non-league contest against the University of Saint Francis (11-3-3), and then play at Mount Vernon Nazarene for an AMC contest on Saturday at 3 pm. The Cavs will honor its six senior players in pre-game ceremonies on Tuesday.
Ohio Dominican scored in each half and out shot the Cavs 15-8 in their shutout win on Tuesday. Walsh keeper Ben Pflum (Sr., Napoleon, and OH/HS) recorded six saves.
Alex Birtcher leads the Cavs with 11 goals and one assist for 23 points. Ben Truax has five goals and two assists, good for 12 points and Ben Pflum has a 1.39 goals against average.
WOMEN'S SOCCER: Cavs (9-7-1, 7-4-1) Split AMC Matches, Sullivan Second Hat Trick in Carlow Win
Walsh (9-7-1, 7-4-1) split two important American Mideast Conference matches last week. The Cavs lost 4-0 to Ohio Dominican University, but rebounded to rout Carlow University 9-1, and clinch an AMC playoff berth. The Cavs are tied with Mount Vernon Nazarene (22 pts.) for the sixth place in the AMC. The Cavs and Cougars (9-6-1, 7-3-1) square off this Saturday at Mount Vernon at 1 pm.
Ohio Dominican scored two goals in each half to best the Cavs 4-0 on Wednesday. Saturday was much better for the Cavs, as they won 9-1 at Carlow. Abbie Sullivan (Sr., Canton, OH/GlenOak) turned the "Hat Trick" for the second time this season, in the 9-1 rout. Sullivan also scored three goals in a single game against Shawnee State on September 13. On this day, she also handed out two assists.
Sullivan scored first to give Walsh a 1-0 lead just 4:45 into the game. Carlow's lone goal tied the game at the 27:15 mark. Amanda Patrick (Jr., Medina, OH/Cloverleaf) snapped the tie on the first of her two goals, and gave Walsh the lead for good at 2-1 four minutes later. The Cavs would go on to score three more times in the first half to lead 5-1, as Sullivan, Patrick and Rachel Naumann (So., Hinckley, OH/Highland) each scored. Patrick assisted on Naumann's goal. Sullivan scored her third goal two minutes into the second half, then assisted on Megan Jurcak's (Fr., Hudson, OH/HS) two goals. Mollie Vanover (Fr., Tipp City, OH/Tippecanoe) closed the scoring with an unassisted goal at the 61:17 mark. Walsh out shot Carlow 14-7.
Amanda Patrick leads the Cavs in scoring with 20 points on five goals and a team-leading 10 assists. Sullivan is next with 17 points and a team-leading seven goals.
VOLLEYBALL: Cavs Reach 20-Win Mark/McDonald Named to All-Tourney Team at Madonna
NAIA No. 25 Walsh (23-9, 8-0) won four out of five non-league matches last week. This week, they return to American Mideast Conference action, at home, on Friday and Saturday. On Friday, the Cavs host Cedarville University (17-8, 8-2) at 7 pm, and host Carlow University (7-20, 1-11) and the University of Northwestern Ohio (25-8, 8-3) on Saturday at 11 am and 3 pm respectively. Cedarville downed the Cavs in five games in non-league match on October 4. Walsh leads the AMC; Shawnee State (9-2) is second place and Cedarville (8-2) third.
Walsh reached the 20-win mark with a three-game sweep (26-24, 25-21, and 25-12) at Lake Erie College on Tuesday night. Megan McDonald (5-10, Sr., Kirkland, IL/Rockford Lutheran) and Erica Parker (6-0, Sr., Concord, OH/Mentor) led the Cavs attack with 10 kills apiece. Jessica Schmidt (5-8, Fr., Michigan City, IN/HS) handed out 28 assists and Ashley Yuhas (5-9, So., Elyria, OH/HS) added 18 digs. Parker also added two aces.
Walsh split matches at the Madonna Invitational in Michigan on Friday. The Cavs lost in three to NAIA No. 7 Madonna in the early match, by the scores of 25-18, 25-22 and 25-19. Megan McDonald led the Cavs with 13 kills, Jessica Schmidt handed out 36 assists and Ashley Yuhas added 16 digs and two aces. In the second match, the Cavs downed Trinity International in three, 25-13, 25-20 and 25-19. McDonald recorded 11 kills, Schmidt 34 assists, Natalie Phillips (5-11, Fr., Wooster, OH/HS) 16 digs and Erica Parker four blocks.
Walsh won both of their matches on Saturday in the final day of the Madonna Invitational. The Cavs defeated Berry University in four games (25-23, 20-25, 25-18 and 25-14) and the University of Michigan-Dearborn in four games (22-25, 25-12, 25-11, 29-27) as well. Megan McDonald, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, recorded 20 kills in the Berry match and 21 against UM-Dearborn. Setter Jessica Schmidt dished 45 assists against Berry and 57 versus UMD. Natalie Phillips had 12 kills and 19 digs in the Berry match. Ashley Yuhas had 20 digs in the Berry match and 23 against UMD. Erica Parker had two aces and two blocks against Berry and 16 kills, three aces and four blocks in the UMD match.
Megan McDonald leads the AMC and is 10th in the NAIA, averaging 4.0 kills per game. Erica Parker is sixth in the AMC in hitting percentage (.333) Ashley Yuhas is tied for 10th in digs (3.8).
MEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs to Play 2004-05 Title Team on Wednesday Night
The 2008-09 Cavs take the floor at Alumni Arena on Wednesday night, as they play Walsh's 2004-05 NAIA National Championship team at 9 pm. Eleven team members return for the game, including Randy Sistrunk, Adam Lesch, Jason Hicks, Derek Chappell, Josh Johnson, Corey Jones and Brandon Weems. Admission is free.
Tickets are on sale for Walsh's exhibition basketball games at the University of Akron (11/6) and at the Ohio State University (11/13). Tickets for the Akron game are priced at $5.00, while lower reserve for Walsh's game at Ohio State will be $10.00. Tip-off time for both games is 7 pm. Tickets can be purchased from the men's basketball office (upstairs, Room 213) in the Gaetano M. Cecchini Family Health and Wellness Complex.
