October 9, 2006

Monday, October 9, 2006

This Week in Walsh University Athletics

Mon. 9

Women's Golf at Robert Morris Invitational (PA)

Tue. 10

Women's Golf at Robert Morris Invitational (PA)

Women's Soccer (H) Geneva 7 pm

Thurs. 12

Volleyball at Ohio Dominican 7 pm

Sat. 14

Football at Geneva 7 pm  AM 900 WCER

Cross Country at Gettysburg Invitational

Men's Soccer (H) Cedarville 7 pm

Volleyball at Tiffin w/Cedarville 3/1 pm

Women's Soccer at Siena Heights 1 pm

FOOTBALL (6-0, 1-0): Cavs 6-0 for First Time, at Geneva Next

NAIA No. 6 Walsh University improved to 6-0 for the first time in school history, with a 35-14 win over Taylor University (1-4, 0-2), in their Mid-States Football Association Mideast opener on Saturday.  Walsh's Rob Lash (Jr., Shelby, OH/HS) scored twice in the win, once on a 91-yard kickoff return and on a 53-yard reverse.  This Saturday, the Cavs travel to Beaver Falls, PA, for a MSFA Mideast showdown with Geneva College.  Game time is 7 pm.  The game will be broadcast live on the Walsh University Football Network, on AM 900 WCER and on 1350 AM WARF and on the internet at www.wcer.us.

After a scoreless first quarter, Walsh took the lead on a 32-yard pass from Marc Pullen (So., Akron, OH/Ellet) to Donel Durham (Sr., Pittsburgh, PA/Schenley).  Taylor came right back in the second quarter, with a 45-yard touchdown pass, but failed to tie the game when the extra point was blocked.  Walsh followed the ensuing kickoff with Lash racing 91 yards for a score, and led 14-6 at halftime.  Jeff Tallman (RS/FR., Canton, OH/Perry) scored the only touchdown of the third quarter on a 22-yard run.  Walsh tacked on two more scores in the final period, one on Antwain Reine's (Jr., Dayton, OH/Trotwood Madison) 52-yard run, and on Lash's 53-yard reverse.  Taylor closed the scoring, with an eight-yard run in the final period.  Reine' led all rushers with 256 yards, while quarterback Marc Pullen completed 7 of 13 passes for 129 yards.  Linebacker Bryan Howe (Jr., Akron, OH/Ellet) led the defense with nine solo tackles and 11 eleven total, while Joe Phinisee (Jr., Warren, OH/Harding) intercepted his MSFA leading fifth pass of the year.

Walsh leads the MSFA in scoring defense (8.3 ppg), and in pass efficiency (DEF) (92.4 ypg).  The Cavs are second in the following categories; kickoff returns (27.8), turnover margin (1.67 pg), rushing offense (210.2), rushing defense (74.0), total defense (224.2), punt return average (12.1) and red zone offense (86.7). Antwain Reine' is second in the MSFA in rushing (108.5 ypg) and Rob Lash is second in total offense (132.4 ypg).  Jeff Tallman is also in the top ten in rushing, averaging 57.2 ypg.  Reine' and Tallman have each scored five touchdowns.

Walsh and Geneva (2-2, 0-1) meet for the 12th time, with the Golden Tornadoes holding a 7-4 series advantage.  Geneva is leaving the NAIA, for NCAA III after this season, so this may be the final meeting between the two teams.  Geneva was the first opponent for the Cavs, when they started football in 1995.  Geneva won the first meeting 20-0.  Walsh, despite losing 21-20 in overtime last season, has won four of the last five meetings.  Geneva defeated Seton Hill 9-7 last Saturday in Greensburg, PA, scoring all their points in the first half. 

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY (29-8): Cavs Finish 6th at All-Ohio Meet

Walsh (29-8) finished sixth at the All-Ohio Meet, held at Ohio Wesleyan in Delaware, Ohio on Friday.  Malone College won the NCAA/NAIA Division.  Brendan McKee (So., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) led the Cavs with a 13th place finish in a time of 27:30.0.  Chris Zundel (Sr., Madison, OH/HS) was next at 32nd (28:22.0), Tim Geabler (Sr., Canton, OH/GlenOak) was 36th (28:44.4), Josh Rogers (Jr., Hartville, OH/Lake) 39th (28:56.4), Jon Winnyk (So., Strongsville, OH/Holy Name) 42nd (29:12.2), Andrew Schulz (Jr., Sugarcreek, OH/Garaway) 44th (29:17.) and Mike Groholy (Jr., Parma, OH/Valley Forge) 48th (29:38.3).

The Cavs compete at the Gettysburg Invitational (PA) this Saturday.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY (28-16) Cavs 7th at All-Ohio Meet

Walsh (28-16) finished seventh at the All-Ohio Meet, held at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio on Friday.  Cedarville University won the NCAA II/NAIA race.  Kristen LeFever (Fr., Alliance, OH/Marlington) paced the Cavs with a 29th place finish in a time of (20:52.6).  Lauren Blase (Fr., Boardman, OH/HS) was 33rd (21:15.1),  Andrea DiNinno (So., Harrison City, PA/Greensburg) 36th (21:36.7), Tess Francis (Sr., Randolph, OH/Waterloo) 40th (22:15.3), Lindsay Cooper (Jr., Canton, OH/Central Catholic) 42nd (22:18.3) and Jennifer Foster (Fr., Carrollton, OH/HS) 49th (23:04.6).

The Cavs compete at the Gettysburg Invitational (PA) on Saturday.

WOMEN'S GOLF: Cavs Third at Siena Heights, Robert Morris Invitational Next

Walsh (22-13) finished third, at the ten-team Siena Heights Invitational on Saturday.  The Cavs scored 365 and finished 12 strokes behind first place Olivet College (353) and just two strokes in back of second place Ohio Dominican University (363).  Christine Haver (Sr., Columbus, OH/Upper Arlington) and Tammy Schumacher (Jr., Whitney Point, NY/HS) each shot 90 for the Cavs.  Christina Trbovich (Sr., Canton, OH/McKinley) was next with a 92, Andrea Ferriell (Sr., Hartville, OH/St. Thomas Aquinas) scored 93, Stephanie Spitzer (So., Akron, OH/Green) 95, Kaley Foster (So., Manchester, OH/HS) 96, and Kaitlin Sesock (Fr., Uniontown, OH/Lake) 100.

Haver leads the team, averaging 84.8 per 18 holes.  Schumacher is next at 85.8; Foster is at 86.7, Trbovich (90.8), Ferriell (91.5), Spitzer (96.7) and Sesock (101.8).

The Cavs are at Robert Morris University this Monday and Tuesday.

MEN'S SOCCER (8-4, 2-2 AMC S): Cavs Win Twice, Even AMC South Mark

Walsh (8-4, 2-2 AMC S) won twice last week and evened their American Mideast Conference South record at 2-2.  The Cavs won an AMC South contest at Shawnee State University, and then won a non-league match-up at Geneva College.  The Cavs are in fifth place in the AMC South and play only once this week, at home against Cedarville University (3-7-1, 1-2 AMC S) on Saturday (7 pm).

Casey Eck (So., North Canton, OH/Hoover) turned the "Hat Trick" in the Cavs 7-1 win over Shawnee State University on Wednesday. Walsh exploded for six second half goals, after leading 1-0 at the half.   Josh Cook (So., Perrysdale, OH/Hillsdale), Jeremy Hess (Jr., Damascus, MD/St. Johns), and Leon O'Neill (Sr., Blackburn, ENG/Nordan) each scored a goal and had an assist.  Ryan Inama (Sr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) had the Cavs other tally.  Greg Keller (Sr., Napoleon, OH/HS) had two assists.  Walsh out shot Shawnee State 31-2 and had seven corner kicks to Shawnee's one.

Alex Birtcher (So., Napoleon, OH/HS) had a goal and an assist, in the Cavs 2-0 win at Geneva on Friday.  After a scoreless first half, Birtcher scored on an assist from Casey Eck at the 50-minute mark to give the Cavs a 1-0 lead.  Jeremy Hess then added an insurance goal at the 67-minute mark, on an assist from Birtcher. Cavs keeper Ben Pflum (So., Napoleon, OH/HS) had six saves in recording his sixth shutout of the season.  Pflum lowered his goals against average to 0.93.  Walsh was out shot by the Golden Tornadoes 10-9, but led in corner kicks 2-1.  

Casey Eck leads the Cavs in scoring with eight goals and 19 points.  Leon O'Neill has six goals and 15 points and Ryan Inama has four goals and a team leading five assists for 13 points.  Alex Birtcher has three goals and four assists for ten points.

WOMEN'S SOCCER (4-7, 2-3 AMC S): Cavs Split AMC Games

Walsh (4-7, 2-3) split a pair of American Mideast Conference South games last week, and is in tied for fifth in the division with Malone College.  The Cavs blanked Urbana University 2-0, and then fell 5-0 at Tiffin University on Saturday.  This week the Cavs play two non-league games.  On Tuesday, Walsh will host Geneva College at 7 pm, and then travel to Siena Heights College (MI) on Saturday for a 1 pm start.

Shayna McDermitt (Fr., Green, OH/HS) scored both goals in Walsh's 2-0 win over Urbana University on Tuesday.  The win snapped a two-game losing streak for the Cavs.  McDermitt gave the Cavs the lead with her first goal at the 11:30 mark of the first half and then scored an insurance goal with 20 seconds to play.  The first goal was assisted by Abby Swope (Jr., Wadsworth, OH/HS) and the second by Starrzanne Stipes (Sr., Coshocton, OH/River View).  Walsh keeper Rachel Burcher (Fr., Wadsworth, OH/HS) had eight saves in recording the shutout.  Walsh out shot the Blue Knights 24-7 and led in corner kicks 6-3. 

Tiffin University shutout the Cavs 5-0 on Saturday.  The Dragons led 1-0, before exploding for four second half goals.  Tiffin led 2-0 late in the second half, before scoring three goals in the final 11:25.  Walsh was out shot 18-6.

Haley Rogers (So., Green, OH/HS) leads the team in scoring with six goals and 13 points.  Meghan Patton (Sr., Parma, OH/Holy Name) is now the all-time assist leader with 24 career assists.  She has dished out a team-leading five this season. Goalie Rachel Burcher has 1.45 goals against average.

VOLLEYBALL (22-2, 6-1): Streak Halted, Cavs Drop First AMC South Match

NAIA No. 22 Walsh (22-2, 6-1 AMC S), had its 17-match win streak snapped at Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Saturday.  The loss was also the first in American Mideast Conference South Division play for the Cavs.  Walsh had a 2-1 week, defeating Malone College and Urbana University, before suffering the setback at Mount Vernon.  This week, the Cavs play at Ohio Dominican University (6-16, 2-1 AMC S) on Thursday and play a tri-match at Tiffin University (21-6, 6-1 AMC S), with South Division leader Cedarville University (26-2, 7-0 AMC S) on Saturday.  Walsh is tied for second place in the AMC South with Tiffin.

The Cavaliers swept Malone College on Tuesday, by scores of 30-16, 30-15, 30-14, improving their win streak improved to sixteen.  Walsh was led by Jamie Herr's (5-9, Sr., Attica, OH/Seneca East) 21 kills and 17 digs.  Herr also led with 2.5 blocks.  Heather Hernandez (5-9, Jr., Oakdale, CA/HS) contributed 17 digs, with one service ace.  Herr and Caitlin Doon (5-6, Jr., Columbus, OH/DeSales) also had one service ace each.  Erica Parker (6-0, So., Concord, OH/Mentor) added 14 kills and one service ace.

Walsh extended its winning to 17 matches, with a hard fought win in five games (30-20, 28-30, 34-36, 30-25 and 15-11) over Urbana University.  Walsh was led by Jamie Herr's (5-9, Sr., Attica, OH/Seneca East) career-high, and Walsh record, 41 kills.  Herr also added 23 digs and three service aces. Jillian Barry (5-5, Jr., Salem, OH/HS) handed out 69 assists and 11 digs and Erica Parker (6-0, So., Concord, OH/Mentor) had three blocks and 19 kills.  Megan McDonald (5-10, So., Kirkland, IL/Rockford Lutheran) also contributed 17 kills. Heather Hernandez (5-9, Jr., Oakdale, CA/HS), Caitlin Doon (5-6, Jr., Columbus, OH/DeSales), and Amy Police (5-5, Fr., Perry, OH/HS) also helped on the defensive efforts with 19, 13, and 17 digs, respectfully.

In the four-game (30-20, 28-30, 27-30, 26-30) loss to Mount Vernon, Parker paced the Cavs with 28 kills.  Barry dished out 64 assists and added 10 digs, while Hernandez had a team-high 26 digs. Herr also contributed 17 kills and 20 digs. Laura Galbraith (6-0, Fr., Akron, OH/Revere) had a career-high 11 kills. Doon and Police were also in double-digit digs, with 10 and 17 digs.

Jillian Barry leads the AMC in assists, averaging 12.96 per game.  Danielle Evancho (Fr., 5-11, Strongsville, OH/HS) is fourth in attack percentage (.362) and Erica Parker is fifth (.356).  Heather Hernandez is seventh in digs (5.17).