October 31, 2005

Athletics > October 31, 2005

Monday, October 31, 2005

Tues. 1 Volleyball at Tiffin 7 pm

Sat. 5 Cross Country at AMC/Region IX Championships at Shawnee State 11 am

Football at Urbana 1:30 pm 900 AM WCER

Men's Soccer Rio Grande/AMC Qualifying Game 1 pm

Volleyball at Shawnee State w/Ohio Dominican 1 am / 1pm

FOOTBALL: Cavs (7-2, 4-1) Defeat Webber, Stay in NAIA Playoff Hunt

NAIA No. 15 (new poll released today) Walsh (7-2, 4-1) remained in the hunt for their first ever NAIA playoff berth, with 31-21 win over NAIA No. 16 Webber International last Thursday night. The Cavs downed their Florida visitors 31-21 to start a new winning streak, after Geneva stopped their six-game streak five days earlier. This Saturday, the Cavs are back in Mid-States Football Association Mideast action when they travel to Urbana University (6-3, 3-2) for a 1:30 pm start. The game will be broadcast live on the Walsh University Football Network on 900 AM WCER and on the internet at www.wcer.us, beginning with the pre-game show at 1:15 pm.

Sam Cerreta (So., North Canton, OH/Hoover) threw three touchdown passes and Dustin Stewart (Fr., Ravenna, OH/Southeast) rushed for 123 yards in the Webber win. The Walsh win snapped Webber's five-game winning streak. Cerreta connected with Rob Lash (So., Shelby, OH/HS) for a 22-yard score at the 11:54 mark of the first quarter to give Walsh a 7-0 lead. Arthur Zurcher (Fr., New Philadelphia, OH/HS) then kicked a career best 40-yard field goal and Walsh led 10-0. Webber cut the lead to 10-7 with ten seconds to play in the first quarter, when Dedrick Sykes threw a two-yard TD pass to Matt Shawyer. Cerreta gave Walsh a 17-7 lead, when he hit Donel Durham (Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa/Schenley) from 14-yards out to give Walsh a 17-7 halftime lead. Walsh scored first in the third quarter, after the teams traded turnovers, when Cerreta found Durham again, this for a 16-yard score to give the Cavs a 24-7 lead. Walsh extended their lead in the fourth quarter, when Stewart scored from one-yard out to give the Cavs a commanding 31-7 lead. Webber added two fourth quarter TD's for the final margin. Cerreta completed 8 of 17 passes for 120 yards. Durham caught four passes for 68 yards and Stewart rushed for 123 yards on 29 carries. Webber's Dedrick Sykes completed 21 of 38 passes for 248 yards, but was picked off twice by Montreal Wade (Jr., Medina, OH/HS).

Rob Lash leads the MSFA and NAIA in kick returns with a 35.9 average. Lash has returned three kicks and two punts for TDs. Lash is also second in the MSFA in scoring with 66 points for a 7.3 per game average.

Walsh and Urbana meet for the 11th time, all-time, on Saturday. Walsh leads the series 10-0 and won 32-28 at Fawcett Stadium last year. The Blue Knights were dealt a huge blow in their bid for a post season berth, when they were beaten 45-30 at Quincy University last Saturday. Quincy jumped on Urbana for 35 first half points, on their way to a 35-16 halftime lead. They would extend the lead to 45-16, before the Blue Knights scored two fourth quarter TDs.

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Cavs (50-12) Win 4 x 3k Relay/At AMC Meet this Saturday

The Cavs (50-12) won their home 4 x 3k relay this past Saturday. This week, they travel to Portsmouth, Ohio for the American Mideast Conference/Region IX Championships. The meet begins at 11 am. The Cavs finished fifth last year. The winner advances to the NAIA Championships in Louisville, Kentucky on November 19.

Walsh's "A" team won the 4 x 3k relay, with a time of 37:59. Joel Dagenhardt (Sr., Marlington, OH/HS), Brendan McKee (Fr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary), Chris Zundel (Jr., Madison, OH/HS) and Josh Rogers (So., Hartville, OH/Lake) comprised the winning team.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Cavs (32-34) Cavs (50-12) Win 4 x 3k Relay/At AMC Meet this Saturday

The Cavs (32-34) won their home 4 x 3k relay meet this past Saturday. This week, they travel to Portsmouth, Ohio for the American Mideast Conference/Region IX Championships. The meet begins at 11 am. The Cavs finished eighth last year. The winner advances to the NAIA Championships in Louisville, Kentucky on November 19.

Walsh's "A" team won the relay, with a time of 50:05. Katie Wirtz (So., Lakewood, OH), Lindsay Cooper (So., Canton, OH/Central Catholic), Ashley Miller (Jr., Badger, OH/Kinsman) and Andrea DiNinno (Fr., Harrison, PA/Greensburg CC) comprised the winning team.

MEN'S SOCCER: Cavs (11-5-2, 4-3-1) Face NAIA No. 2 Rio Grande in Playoff Opener

Despite dropping their final two regular season games, Walsh (11-5-2, 4-2-1) is headed to the American Mideast Conference tournament. The Cavs, the fourth seed, meet top seeded and NAIA No. 2 University of Rio Grande (16-0, 8-0) on Saturday in an AMC Qualifying game at 1 pm at Rio. The winner advances to the NAIA Region IX Final Four on November 11. Walsh finished tied for fourth in the AMC South with Mount Vernon Nazarene, with each team having 13 points, but won the tie-breaker by defeating the Cougars in the regular season.

Roberts Wesleyan blanked the Cavs 1-0 on Wednesday, scoring the games only goal in the first half. Walsh then closed the regular season with 3-0 loss at Cedarville on Saturday night, in a game much closer than the final score indicates. Cedarville snapped a scoreless tie with a goal at the 81:37 mark, then scored twice as the Cavs pulled everybody up in an effort to tie the game.

The Cavs and Rio Grande have met once already this season, with Rio escaping with a 2-1 overtime win on October 1 at Walsh. The two teams have met in the post season in 2002, 2000, 1998, 1997, 1996 and 1995. Walsh's only post season win was 3-1 in 1995. Rio leads the all-time series 15-13, with one tie. The Cavs enter the post season with only three goals in their last four games.

WOMEN'S SOCCER: Cavs (11-6-2, 5-2-1) Fall in Playoff Opener

Walsh's (11-6-2, 5-2-1) outstanding season came to an end, when they were blanked 1-0 at Tiffin University on Saturday in an American Mideast Conference Qualifying game. The Cavs had closed the regular season with three straight wins, to earn their first post season appearance since 2000.

Walsh won its regular season finale 1-0, in double overtime at Seton Hill on Thursday. Amanda Waltz (So., North Canton, OH/Hoover) ended the game with her team leading 16th goal of the season at the 105:00 minute mark of the second overtime. Audra Smail (So., Navarre, OH/Central Catholic) played the entire game in goal for the Cavs and stopped seven shots.

Tiffin then beat the Cavs 1-0 for the second time this season, to end their season on Saturday. The Dragons, who blanked the Cavs on October 18 at Walsh, scored the only goal of the game at the 58:15 mark of the second half. The Dragons out shot the Cavs 13-8 and had seven corner kicks to Walsh's two. Kathy Stuck (So., Uniontown, OH/Lake) had nine saves in goal.

Amanda Waltz and Abby Swope (So., Wadsworth, OH/HS) combined to give the Cavs their best one-two scoring punch in team history. Waltz won the scoring title with 37 points on 16 goals and seven assists. Her 16 goals were two shy of Allison Davis' team record of 18 set in 1990. Swope finished with 34 points on 13 goals and a team leading eight assists. The Cavs two keepers, Audra Smail and Kathy Stuck, shared the goal tending duties and did an outstanding job. Smail finished with an 0.92 goals against average in 12 games and Stuck compiled a 1.42 average in eleven games. Walsh's 11 wins were the most since 2000, when they also won 11 games and qualified for the post season.

VOLLEYBALL: Cavs (16-10, 5-6) Fall to Malone, Cedarville

Walsh (17-13, 5-8) lost two critical American Mideast Conference South matches last week. The Cavs were downed by Malone at home and on the road to AMC South leader Cedarville. The losses leave the Cavs in seventh place in the AMC South. Walsh closes the regular season on the road at Tiffin University (Tuesday) and at Shawnee State (11 am) for a tri-match with Ohio Dominican (1 pm) on Saturday. The Cavs need to finish in the top six to qualify for the AMC Tournament. A Walsh win over Tiffin would give the Cavs a tri-breaker if needed. The Cavs would lose all tie-breakers with Malone.

Walsh lost to Malone for the second time this season last Tuesday. It was Malone's first season sweep of the Cavs since 2000, when the two teams met only once in the regular season. The Pioneers downed the Cavs 25-30, 30-25, 27-30, 21-30. Walsh was led by Erica Parker, (6-0, Fr., Concord, OH/Mentor) with 25 kills and 1.5 blocks. Jillian Barry (5-5, So., Salem, OH/HS) finished the match with 62 assists, while Jamie Herr (5-9, Jr., Attica, OH/Seneca East), back from an ankle injury, led with 18 digs at the libero position. The Cavaliers also received solid contributions from Hilary Dattilo (5-10, Fr., Mason, OH/HS) with18 kills and Megan McDonald (5-10, Fr., Kirkland, IL/Rockford Lutheran) who added 13. Sophomore outside hitter, Heather Hernandez (5-9, Oakdale, CA/HS), had a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs. Hernandez left in the fourth game with a severe injury to her left ankle.

Walsh lost its third straight match, falling in three straight to NAIA No. 17 Cedarville University (33-1, 13-0). The Yellow Jackets downed the Cavs 14-30, 21, 30, 20-30. Erica Parker paced the Cavs with 13 kills. Jillian Barry dished out 30 assists, Jamie Herr added 13 digs, Hilary Dattilo three blocks and Megan McDonald three aces.

Walsh split two matches at a tri-match at Wilmington College on Saturday. Walsh lost in five games to Otterbein College, for their fourth straight loss, before sweeping Wilmington in three straight. Walsh lost to Otterbein 28-30, 30-24, 30-26, 25-30, 15-17. Erica Parker paced the Cavs with 29 kills and five blocks. Jillian Barry dished out 63 assists and Jamie Herr added 19 digs. In the sweep of Wilmington (30-26, 30-19, 30-18), Parker had 15 kills, Barry 39 assists and Herr 14 digs.