February 18, 2008

This Week in Walsh University Athletics

Monday, February 18, 2008

Tues. 19 Women's Basketball at Urbana University 5:30 pm *

Men's Basketball at Urbana University 7:30 pm *

Fri. 22 Baseball vs. Spring Arbor at Campbellsville, KY 10 am

Baseball at Lindsey Wilson 3 pm

Sat. 23 Women's Basketball (H) Wilberforce University 2 pm

Men's Basketball (H) Wilberforce University 4 pm *

Baseball vs. University of Rio Grande at Campbellsville, KY 10 am

Baseball at Campbellsville, KY 12:30 pm

Men's/Women's Indoor Track at Kent State University Tune-up

Men's Tennis at Kenyon College 8:30 am / vs. Baldwin-Wallace at Kenyon 6:30 pm

Women's Tennis at Kenyon College 12 pm

* Games to be broadcast on AM 900 WCER, Internet at www.wcer.us

MEN'S BASKETBALL: (22-4, 10-2 AMC S) Cavs Clinch AMC Title Game Berth/Tie for Title

It was a record breaking week for the NAIA No. 2 Cavs.  After suffering a tough loss to Mount Vernon Nazarene University on Thursday night, Walsh (22-4, 10-21 AMC S) bounced back on Saturday and ran roughshod over the University of Rio Grande to secure a berth in the American Mideast Conference championship game on Tuesday, February 26, against the winner of the North Division.  With Saturday's win, the Cavs also became the first team in 53 years to win the conference championship four consecutive years.  Findlay College, now the University of Findlay, won Mid-Ohio Conference championships in 1951-52, 1952-53, 1953-54 and 1954-55. 

Walsh leads Cedarville University and Mount Vernon by two games and hold tie breakers against both, thus earning the title game appearance.  Walsh also claimed a piece of the AMC South regular season crown, and can clinch the division outright with one win in their final two games.  The Cavs travel to Urbana University on Tuesday (7:30 pm) and host Wilberforce University on Saturday (4 pm).  Both games will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

After snow postponed the Cavs trip to Mount Vernon last Tuesday, the two teams waited until Thursday for their second meeting of the season.  After posting a win in the first meeting in January, it looked like the Cavs would sweep the season series when they vaulted to a 16-point first half lead (42-26), as Corey Jones (6-3, Sr., Avon Lake, OH/Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary) poured in 16 first half points.  But the Cougars would put on a furious rally in the final eight minutes of the game to come away with a 78-72 win.  The loss snapped Walsh's six-game winning streak and kept Mount Vernon's playoff hopes alive. 

Walsh held a double-digit lead through the first 11 minutes of the second half, when the Cougars cut the lead to nine points at 58-49 with 9:11 to play.  The turning point in the game came with Walsh leading 66-61 with 5:20 to play, when Brandon Weems (5-10, Sr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) was called for an offensive foul on a drive to the basket.  Mount Vernon's Ben Falkenberg then scored on a three-point play on the next possession to trim the lead to 66-64 with 4:20 to play.  After a Walsh turnover on the next possession, Falkenberg nailed a three-ball to give the Cougars their first lead since 16-15, at 67-66, with 3:52 to play.   Walsh regained the lead for the final time at 67-66 on the next possession on a lay-up by Eder Araujo (7-0, Sr., Sao Paulo, Brazil/Odete de Freitas).  Falkenberg then scored his seventh straight point as MVNU took the lead back at 68-67 with 3:30 to play.  Corey Jones then hit one of two free throws to tie the game at 69 with 2:23 to play.  After MVNU regained the lead at 71-69, Walsh's Josh Johnson (6-4, Jr., Warren, OH/Harding) hit two free throws to tie the game for the final time at 71 with 1:56 left.  Falkenberg then struck again with a three-ball to put MVNU up 74-71 with 1:34 to play.  Johnson then split a pair of free throws with 1:16 to play to pull Walsh to within two points at 74-72.  After a Connor Gregg miss, Walsh had a chance to take the lead with 42 seconds to play.  With the clocking running down, Josh Johnson's three-ball from the corner was blocked by Jadin Thomas with 16 seconds to play.  The Cougars then hit four free throws for the final margin.  Jones led the Cavs with 17 points.  Johnson added 15 points and Araujo 13.   The Cougars shot .600 in the second half, after shooting only .353 in the first half.  Walsh shot .571 in the first half, but only .348 in the second half.

Walsh shook off the effects of the loss at Mount Vernon with a record breaking performance at home against the University of Rio Grande on Saturday.  The Cavs set two other records in their 110-72 win over the Redmen.  First they dropped in a team-record 19 three-pointers, with Corey Jones draining a record nine from the behind the arc.  For Jones, he also tied a career high with 30 points, set earlier this season.  It was also their eighth straight win over the Redmen.  Walsh trailed 4-2 early in the game, when they went on a 13-0 run to take control.  Jones hit 5 three's in the first half, as the Cavs led 54-31 at halftime. Josh Johnson added 12 first half points and Eder Araujo 10.  Walsh then blitzed the Redmen for 56 second half points, in scoring 110 points for the third time this season.  Walsh held its largest lead at 106-64 with 1:59 to play. The Cavs shot .552 (37-67) from the field and .487 (19-39) from three-point.  Brandon Speck (6-0, So., Mansfield, OH/St. Peter's) came off the bench and hit 4 three's and finished with 17 points.  Johnson added 16 points and Araujo 15. 

Walsh looks for revenge when they travel to Urbana University (5-21, 3-9 AMC S) on Tuesday.  Urbana handed Walsh their only home loss of the season, when they upset the Cavs 70-64 on January 22.  Urbana enters the games with three straight losses, including an 87-69 loss to Mount Vernon Nazarene on Saturday.  The Cavs lead the all-time series 48-30.  Wilberforce University (8-17, 2-10 AMC S) comes to Alumni Arena for the regular season finale on Saturday.  The Cavs beat the Bulldogs 55-48 at Wilberforce on January 29 and lead the all-time series 15-3 with 8 straight wins.  The Bulldogs have lost two straight and were bounced 101-71 at Cedarville on Saturday.  It's a three-game week for the Bulldogs, as they host Ohio Dominican University on Tuesday and play at rival Central State on Thursday before coming to Walsh on Saturday. 

Eder Araujo leads the Cavs in scoring (14.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.9 rpg).  Corey Jones is averaging 13.5 points and is shooting an AMC and NAIA best .566 from three-point range.  Jones 13-20 (.650) from the behind the arc this past week and averaged 23.5 ppg.  He is also shooting .530 from the field and .870 from the foul line.  Brandon Weems is averaging 11.2 points and an AMC leading 6.2 assists.   Josh Johnson is averaging 10.8 ppg and 5.3 rebounds. 

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Cavs (12-14, 4-8 AMC S) Fall Twice in Key AMC South Games/Playoffs in Doubt

After climbing their way back into the American Mideast Conference race, Walsh (12-14, 4-8 AMC S) practically shut the door on the post season after losing at Mount Vernon Nazarene University and at home to the University of Rio Grande.  The Cavs are tied with Mount Vernon for sixth place in the AMC South and must win their final two games and have help in order to qualify for the post season.  Walsh travels to Urbana University on Tuesday (5:30 pm) and host Wilberforce University in the regular season finale on Saturday (2 pm).  Tuesday's game will be broadcast live on AM 900 WCER and on the Internet at www.wcer.us.

A double digit deficit proved to be too much for Walsh at Mount Vernon, as they fell 59-49 the Cougars last Thursday night.  The defeat snapped the Cavs three-game winning streak.  Mount Vernon built a 16-point (32-16) first half lead and led 39-25 at the half.  Walsh began to whittle away in the final five minutes of game and trailed 52-47 with 1:31 to play.  Turnovers plagued the throughout, as the turned the ball over 23 times.  Katie Berry (5-11, Fr., Cleveland, OH/St. Joseph Academy) led the Cavs with 12 points. Cara Bedard (6-0, Fr, Waterloo, OH/Atwater) added ten points.

The third time was not the charm for Walsh, as they fell to NAIA No. 24 University of Rio Grande (20-6, 8-4) AMC S) for the third time this season, 72-53 at Alumni Arena on Saturday.  Rio Grande led from start to finish in the win.  Walsh fell behind 15-2 in the first 4:48 of the game and trailed 40-20 at the half.  The Cavs made a charge midway through the second half and trimmed the Rio lead to 50-43 with 9:28 to play, before Rio regrouped for an 11 point run to settle the issue. Dianca Gordon (5-8, So., Akron, OH/Central-Hower) led the Cavs with 10 points and 6 rebounds off the bench. 

Walsh and Urbana (15-9, 6-6 AMC S) meet for the second time on Tuesday.  The Blue Knights won the first meeting at Walsh, 68-55 on January 22.  Urbana won two big AMC South games last week and is tied with Cedarville in the South.  Walsh leads the all-time series 24-16.  Walsh closes the home season with Wilberforce (5-19, 1-11 AMC S) on Saturday.  The Bulldogs have lost their last six games, and were routed 84-51 at Cedarville on Saturday.  Walsh won the first meeting at Wilberforce on January 29, 59-54.   It's a three-game week for the Bulldogs, as they host Ohio Dominican University on Tuesday and play at rival Central State on Thursday before coming to Walsh on Saturday. 

Katie Berry leads the Cavs in scoring, averaging 13.8 points.  Berry is shooting .470 from the floor, .802 from the foul line and leads the team with 21 blocked shots and 58 steals.  Cara Bedard and Leah Seaman (5-8, So., Louisville, OH/HS) are averaging 11.5 ppg.  Bedard leads the team in rebounding (6.5) and field goal percentage (.518).  Seaman has handed out a team-leading 80 assists.  

INDOOR TRACK (MEN): Groholy Qualifies for Nationals

Mike Groholy (Sr., Parma, OH/Valley Forge) is a provisional qualifier for the NAIA National Indoor meet, after his performance at the All-Ohio Meet at the University of Findlay last week.  Groholy's time of 8:51.79 in the 3000m has put on course for the national meet in Johnson City, TN in March.  He finished 10th.

Brendan McKee (Jr., Akron, OH/St. Vincent-St. Mary) finished ninth in the mile (4:29.60) for the Cavs top finish.  Jerome Jackson (Jr., Euclid, OH/HS) was 13th in the shot (45-01.50 and Chris Weirtz (Fr., Hudson, OH/Western Reserve) placed 15th in the 400m (53.08).

Walsh travels to Kent, Ohio on Saturday for the Kent State Tune-up.

INDOOR TRACK (WOMEN): Cavs at Kent on Saturday

Ebony Williams (Sr., Akron, OH/Firestone) placed 14th (4-11) in the high jump, for the Cavs best finish at the All-Ohio Meet at the University of Findlay last week.  Walsh travels to Kent, Ohio on Saturday for the Kent State Tune-up.

Emma Heck (Fr., Canton, OH/Central Catholic) placed 16th in the pole vault (9-08.50), Andrea DiNinno (Jr., Greensburg, PA/Central Catholic) 17th in the 3000m (11:12.10) and Danielle Cofojohn (So., Diamond, OH/Southeast) 18th in the shot (39-05.00). 

MEN'S TENNIS: Cavs Lose Opener

Walsh (0-1) lost 8-1 to West Virginia Wesleyan on Friday at Hall of Fame Courts.  The Cavs are at Kenyon College next weekend.  Stephen Webster (Sr., Lexington, OH/HS) was the lone winner for the Cavs, winning at first singles.

WOMEN'S TENNIS: Slippery Rock Downs Cavs in Opener

Walsh (0-1) lost its season opener 8-1 to Slippery Rock University at Hall of Fame Courts on Friday.  Jen Yost (So., Massillon, OH/Jackson) registered the only win for the Cavs, 6-4, 6-4 at fifth singles.  Walsh is on the road next Sunday for a match at Kenyon College.

BASEBALL: Cavs Open Season in Kentucky

Walsh opens the season in traditional fashion, in Kentucky at the Cancer Awareness Classic.  The Cavs open on Friday, playing Spring Arbor, at Campbellsville at 10 am.  The Cavs then play at Lindsey Wilson at 3 pm.  On Saturday, they meet the University of Rio Grande at Campbellsville at 10 am, and then play Campbellsville at 12:30 pm.

Walsh finished 29-30 last year and advanced to the NAIA World Series for the first time, after winning the NAIA Region IX Championship and East Coast Super Regional.