Monday, August 30, 2010
This Week in Walsh University Athletics
Mon. 30
Women’s Golf at University of St. Francis Invitational 2 pm
Tues. 31
Women’s Golf at University of St. Francis Invitational 9 am
Women’s Soccer (H) Marygrove College 4 pm
Wed. 1
Volleyball Thiel/Hiram at Baldwin-Wallace 5/7 pm
Fri. 3
Men’s Soccer at Embry-Riddle 7 pm
Women’s Soccer (H) St. Vincent College 4 pm
Volleyball Indiana Tech/Spring Arbor at Taylor Invitational 5/7 pm
Sat. 4
Football (H) Kentucky Christian 12 pm AM 900 WCER/AM 640 WHLO/STO
Women’s Soccer (H) University of St. Francis 2 pm
Volleyball Marian/Taylor at Taylor Invitational 10am/12 pm
FOOTBALL: Cavs Open 16th Season at Home
Walsh opens its 16th season at home (Fawcett Stadium) against Kentucky Christian University this Saturday at 12pm, free tickets are available at Giant Eagle in Washington Square in North Canton, right across the street from Walsh University. Magnet schedules will be handed out to the first 1,000 fans. The opener will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and News-Talk 640 AM WHLO and will be televised (tape delay) at 6 pm on SportsTime Ohio.
The NAIA 16th ranked Cavs and Kentucky Christian (0-1) are meeting for the first time. The Cavs finished 8-3 last year and ranked 16th in the final NAIA poll, narrowly missing the playoffs. Walsh will be without 1,000-yard tailback Clinton Blossomgame (5-11, 208. Sr. Columbus, OH/Beechcroft), who is undergoing surgery on his left knee today. He is expected back for the fifth game. Toba Olarewaju (5-10, 191, So., Youngstown, OH/Christian) will start in his place.
Walsh is 10-5 in season openers and 13-2 in home openers. They defeated Ohio Dominican University 23-16 in their home opener last year, but lost the season opener 48-17 at West Liberty. Head Coach Jim Dennison is the only coach in Cavs’ history (104-59) and is in his 29th year (184-121-2) overall.
This will be game number two for Kentucky Christian. They lost 34-7 at Campbellsville last Saturday. The Knights finished 1-10 last year and 1-8 in the Mid-South Conference.
WOMEN’S GOLF: Cavs Open Fall Season on Road
Walsh opens its ninth season on the road at the University of Saint Francis (IN) Invitational this Monday (2 pm) and Tuesday (9 am). The Cavs will play at Noble Hawk Golf Links in Kendallville, Indiana. Walsh finished 100-29 overall and ranked 23rd in the final NAIA poll. They also captured their second straight American Mideast Conference championship. This is the fourth year for Head Coach Kevin Longanecker (174-97).
MEN’S SOCCER: Cavs Open Season with Two Road Wins
Walsh (2-0) opened its 40th season with back-to-back road wins in Michigan this past weekend. The Cavs defeated Aquinas College 2-0 on Friday for career win number 400 and Cornerstone University 3-1 on Saturday. This week the Cavs travel to Florida for games against NAIA No. 5 Embry Riddle University on Friday (7 pm) and Northwood University (at Embry Riddle) on Sunday (12 pm).
Walsh scored two first half goals in the season opener for both teams on Friday at Aquinas. The win was also career victory number 298 for Head Coach Tim Mead (298-212-32, 29th yr.). Ben Truax (6-1, 185, Jr., Mansfield, OH/St. Peters) gave Walsh a 1-0 lead on an assist from Clint Merck (6-0, 180, Jr., Randolph, OH/St. Thomas Aquinas) at the 15:42 mark. Truax then assisted on an insurance goal by Jordan Semple (5-7, 160, So., North Canton, OH/GlenOak) at the 35:40 mark. Mike Kelley (6-0, 175, So., Chagrin Falls, OH/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin) stopped five shots in recording the shutout.
Walsh improved to 2-0 on the season for the first time since 2007, with the win at Cornerstone. Clint Merck scored on an unassisted goal to give the Cavs a 1-0 lead at the 16:51 mark of the first half. The Cavs would take the 1-0 lead into the locker room. Matt Bly (5-10, 170, So., Bellbrook, OH/HS) put Walsh up 2-0 at the 50:21, also on an unassisted goal. George Moga (5-10, 160, Jr., Akron, OH/Springfield) would turn trick, unassisted, at 57:39 to give Walsh a 3-0 lead. Cornerstone tallied their only goal at the 66:15 mark. Mike Kelley stopped seven shots in goal.
WOMEN’S SOCCER: Cavs Opens 22nd Season at Home
Walsh opens its 22nd season with a three-game home stand this week. The Cavs meet Marygrove College on Tuesday at 4 pm, and then host St. Vincent College on Friday at 4 pm and the University of St. Francis (IN) on Saturday at 2 pm. Walsh Head Coach Sara Renard begins her second season. The Cavs finished 6-9-3 overall last year and 6-5 in the American Mideast Conference in qualifying for the conference playoffs.
VOLLEYBALL: Cavs Open Season Under New Leadership
Erin Foster begins her first season as head coach, as the Cavs take to the court for their 33rd season. Walsh opens up with a dual match at Baldwin-Wallace College on Tuesday night. The Cavs tangle with Thiel College at 5 pm and Hiram College at 7 pm. The Cavs then travel to Upland, Indiana for the Taylor University Invitational on Friday and Saturday. The Cavs play NAIA No. 11 Indiana Tech (5 pm) and Spring Arbor (7 pm) on Friday and Marian (10 am) and NAIA No. 10 Taylor (12 pm) on Saturday.
The Cavs finished 28-9 last year and won the American Mideast Conference Tournament to qualify for the NAIA National Tournament for the second straight year.
