October 15, 2007

This Week in Walsh University Athletics

Monday, October 15, 2007

Mon. 15 Men's/Women's Golf at Stark County Memorial 10 am

Tues. 16 Men's Soccer at Daemen College 3:30 pm

Wed. 17 Volleyball (H) Cedarville University 7 pm

Thurs. 18 Volleyball at Notre Dame (OH) 7 pm

Sat. 20 Football (H) University of Saint Francis (Homecoming) 12 pm *

Cross Country (OH) AMC Preview Women 11 am / Men 11:45

Women's Soccer at University of Rio Grande 5 pm

Men's Soccer at University of Rio Grande 7 pm

Volleyball at Madonna Invitational

* Broadcast live on Walsh University Football Network (AM 640 News-Talk WHLO and AM 900 WCER)

FOOTBALL: Cavs Drop Third Straight/Face St. Francis (IN) For Homecoming

Walsh (3-4, 0-3 MSFA Mideast) lost its third straight game to a NAIA ranked opponent, falling 42-35 in overtime to 15th ranked Malone College at Fawcett Stadium last Saturday.  For the Cavs, it is the first time in history that they have dropped their first three MSFA Mideast games, and only the fourth time that have lost three consecutive games (1998, 2000, 2006, 2007).  The only time the Cavs have lost four consecutive games was in 1998, when they lost their final four games of the season to finish 6-5.  The Cavs have never finished below .500.  This week, the Cavs face another ranked opponent, when they host number five (new poll released last 10/15) University of Saint Francis at 12 pm at Fawcett Stadium, in a MSFA Mideast contest.  It is Walsh's Homecoming Game.   The game will be broadcast live on the Walsh University Football Network on News-Talk 640 WHLO and on the AM 900 WCER.  The game will also be broadcast live on the internet at www.wcer.us and www.whlo640.com.

Despite some late heroics, Walsh lost its second straight game to Malone, falling 42-35 in overtime.  The win enables Malone to keep possession of the Dick Gallagher Memorial Trophy.  Walsh trailed 35-28 with only 10 seconds to play, when Sam Cerreta (Sr., North Canton, OH/Hoover) threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Mike McGill (So., Barberton, OH/Coventry).  The Cavs kicked the PAT to send the game to overtime.  Walsh and Malone last went to overtime in 2003, which Walsh won in five extra periods.  This game, however, would only take one, as Malone on their first possession.  Tailback Bernard Payton, who rushed for a game-high 221 yards, scored his fourth TD of the day on a two-yard plunge to put Malone up 42-35.  Walsh then failed on four tries to tie the game.

Malone racked-up 691 yards of offense, but turned the ball over five times in a game they led from start to finish.  The Pioneers took a 14-0 first quarter lead, when Walsh's Clinton Blossomgame (R-Fr., Columbus, OH/Beechcroft) scored on a seven-yard run to cut the Malone lead to 14-7.  Each team scored in the second quarter.  Walsh tied the game on a 30-yard fumble recovery by David Hardwick (Sr., Kent, OH/Kent Roosevelt) with 4:47 to play in the second. But Malone regained lead with a TD, and led 21-14 at the half.  Walsh's Rob Lash (Sr., Shelby, OH/HS) brought the crowd to its feet, when he returned the second half kick-off 84 yards for a touchdown.  It was Lash's first return for a score this season.  Walsh missed a chance to take the lead later in the quarter, when Eric Buchanan (Fr., Green Cove Springs, FL/Clay) missed a 33-yard field.  All in all, there were eight field goals missed in the game, four by each side.  Malone regained the lead at 28-21 when Payton scored on an eight-yard pass from Billy Bob Orsagh.  Walsh tied the game at 28, when McGill caught a 36-yard TD pass from Cerreta.  Payton then scored on a four-yard run with 2:22 to play to put Malone up 35-28.

Walsh looks to snap a nine-game losing streak to the University of Saint Francis (IN) (5-1, 2-1 MSFA) on Homecoming Saturday.  USF handed Walsh its first loss of the season last year (21-7), then beat the Cavs 42-3 in Walsh's first-ever playoff appearance.  The Cougars lead the all-time series 9-1.  Walsh's only win came in the first meeting (44-41) in 1998.  The Cougars find themselves tied for second place with Saint Xavier and Urbana.  Ohio Dominican stopped their 33-game MSFA Mideast win streak, and 54-game regular season win streak, 30-20, on September 29.  The high-powered Cougars have won two straight games since the defeat, 57-7 over Marian, and 69-29 last Saturday over Taylor.  Saint Francis is averaging 48.7 points per game and 529 yards of total offense.  They lead the MSFA in rushing offense (300.7 ypg), scoring offense, and stand second in total offense.  On the defensive end, they are allowing 13.8 points per game.  Against Taylor, USF scored at least two touchdowns in every quarter, and totaled 739 yards offensively.  Quarterback Jeff Wedding threw for three scores, two to Bo Thompson, as three Cougar quarterbacks passed for 365 yards. 

Rob Lash leads the MSFA in kick returns, averaging 28.6 per return.  Clinton Blossomgame is second in rushing, averaging 108.1 yards per game. 

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY: Cavs 9th at UW-Parkside

Walsh (27-24) finished 9th at the University Wisconsin-Parkside Lucian Rosa Cross Country Invitational on Saturday.  The host school won the event over Indiana Wesleyan.  Walsh will host the AMC Preview Meet this Saturday at 11 am.

Kristen LeFever (So., Alliance, OH/Marlington) led the Cavs, finishing 30th (19:58).  Andrea DiNinno (Jr., Harrison City, PA/Greensburg CC) was next, placing 34th (20:01).  Megan Case (Fr., Louisville, OH/HS) finished 51st (20:34); Jen Birney (Fr., Dover, OH/HS) 58th (20:56) and Lindsay Cooper (Sr., Canton, OH/Central Catholic) 61st (21:06).  Jackie Delameter (Fr., North Canton, OH/Hoover) placed 62 (21:09) and Terry Simonic (Jr., Cleveland, OH/Regina) 69th (21:34).

WOMEN'S GOLF: Cavs 5th at Allegheny Invitational

Walsh (9-12) finished fifth at the Allegheny Invitational last Monday in Meadville, PA.  Allegheny won the event with a score of 328.  Walsh totaled 379.  Tammy Schumacher (Sr., Whitney Point, NY/HS) paced the Cavs and tied for seventh with an 86.  Kaley Foster (Jr., Manchester, OH/HS) tied for 11th place, shooting 88.  Adriana Ovando (Fr., Santa Cruz, Bolivia) tied for 34th (102), Kaitlin Sesock (So., Uniontown, OH/Lake) finished 36th (103) and Melanie Stone (Fr., Akron, OH/Firestone) 39th (113).

The Cavs close the fall season at the Stark County Memorial Tournament, held Monday, October 15 at Brookside Country Club at 10 am.

MEN'S SOCCER: Cavs Snap Skid with Win at Urbana

Walsh (7-5-1, 2-2 AMC S) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 3-1 American Mideast Conference South win at Urbana University on Saturday.  The Cavs are in fourth place in the AMC South with six points, one point behind third place Cedarville University.  This week, Walsh is on the road at Daemen College (4-7-1) in a non-conference game on Tuesday (3:30 pm), then at the University of Rio Grande (7 pm), for an AMC South game, on Saturday.

Clint Merck (Fr., Randolph, OH/St. Thomas Aquinas) scored from Lamar Skeeter (Fr., 5-10, Dayton, OH/Fairmont) at the 14:00 minute mark of the first half to give Walsh a 1-0 lead at Urbana.  The Blue Knights tied the game at 1-1, with three minutes to left in the half.  Casey Eck (Jr., North Canton, OH/Hoover) gave the Cavs the lead for good, at the 58-minute mark, on an assists from Merck and Aaron Davis (So., Blackburn, ENG/Darwen Vale).  Walsh would add an insurance goal, when Skeeter scored eight minutes later, on assists from Eck and Davis.  Walsh out-shot the Blue Knights 12-3.  Cavs' keeper Ben Pflum (Jr., Napoleon, OH/HS) had two saves. 

Lamar Skeeter is second in the AMC in scoring, averaging 1.85 goals per game.  Skeeter has scored 11 goals, and leads the Cavs with 24 points.  He leads the AMC in game-winning goals with five. 

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Cavs Stay Hot, Posting Back-to-Back Shutouts, Win Streak at Five

Walsh's (12-3-2, 2-2-1 AMC S) extended its winning streak to five games, with back-to-back shutouts against rival Malone College (3-0) and Urbana University (4-0).  Walsh is fourth in American Mideast Conference South Division with seven points, two points behind second place Mount Vernon Nazarene and Urbana.  Walsh closes the regular season at the University of Rio Grande (4-9, 0-3 AMC S) on Saturday.   The Cavs need a win at Rio Grande on Saturday to keep their post season hopes alive.  The Cavs are a remarkable 8-0-1 on the road this season, their most wins on the road in a single season.

Walsh won its fourth straight game, blanking arch-rival Malone College (7-6) 3-0 in a non-conference game last Wednesday.  Walsh scored with just five seconds remaining in the first half, when Leya Spence (Jr., Mansfield, OH/Madison) scored her ninth goal of the season, on Chrissy Summers' (So., Doylestown, OH/Chippewa) team leading sixth assist.  The two reversed the roles in the second half, when Summers scored on an assist from Spence at the 52:15 mark, to give the Cavs a 2-0 lead.  Suzanne Flanigan (Fr., Cleves, OH/Seton) scored the final goal with 11 minutes to play.  Walsh keeper Rachel Burcher (So., Wadsworth, OH/HS) had six saves, and recorded her seventh shutout of the season.

Walsh handed Urbana (12-3, 3-2 AMC S) its first home loss of the season, with a 4-0 AMC South Division win last Saturday.  Abby Swope's (Sr., Wadsworth, OH/HS) eighth goal of the season gave Walsh a 1-0 lead at the 12:10 mark of the first half.  Walsh would score three times in the final 45 minutes.  Leya Spence scored her tenth goal of the season, on a penalty kick, at the 54:28 mark to give Walsh a 2-0 lead.  Amanda Patrick (So., Medina, OH/Cloverleaf) gave the Cavs a 3-0 lead at the 67:22 mark, on an assist from Chrissy Summers. Summers then scored the games' final goal, on an assist from Spence, at the 67:56 mark.  Walsh keeper Rachel Burcher (So., Wadsworth, OH/HS) had five saves, and recorded her third straight shutout and eighth of the season.

Summers and Spence are tied for the team lead in scoring with 23 points each.  Spence leads the team with 10 goals, while Summers has a team-leading seven assists.  Rachel Burcher's goals against average stands at 1.20. 

VOLLEYBALL: Cavs Post 2-1 Week/Meet Cedarville on Wednesday/Play Ranked Foes at Madonna

After falling at Mount Vernon Nazarene on Thursday, Walsh (20-5, 5-2 AMC S) bounced back with home wins against Indiana Tech and Urbana University on Saturday.  This week, the Cavs host second place Cedarville University (18-7, 8-1 AMC S) on Wednesday.  The Yellow Jackets took three out of four games from the Cavs, at Cedarville, on October 6.  Walsh will host Cedarville University on Wednesday in an important AMC match and travel to Notre Dame College on Thursday for a non-conference match.  Both matches begin at 7 pm

Walsh lost 30-24, 30-21 and 30-26 to NAIA No. 23 Mount Vernon Nazarene University (20-2, 7-0 AMC S) on the road last Thursday.  Erica Parker (6-0, Jr., Concord, OH/Mentor), Megan Kelly (5-10, Fr., Brook Park, OH/Holy Name) and Caitlin Whealy (6-2, Jr., Avon Lake, OH/HS) led the Cavs with 10 kills each.  Jill Barry (5-6, Sr., Salem, OH/HS) dished out 38 assists and had two aces.  Heather Hernandez (5-9, Sr., Oakdale, CA/HS) had 21 digs and Megan McDonald (5-10, Jr., Kirkland, IL/Rockford Lutheran) had 1.5 blocks.

Walsh swept Urbana University and Indiana Tech University in a tri-match, at home, last Saturday. Walsh beat Urbana by the scores of 30-13, 30-16, and 30-15 in an AMC South match. Walsh was led by Jill Barry's 44 assists and three aces. Heather Hernandez led the defense with 18 digs and Megan Kelly led with 17 kills. Hilary Dattilo (5-10, Jr., Mason, OH/HS) and Erica Parker added 10 kills each. Dattilo also had a team-high 2.5 blocks against the Blue Knights. Defensive specialist, Amy Police (5-5, So., Perry, OH/HS) also added three service aces.

In the second match of the day for the Cavaliers, Walsh swept Indiana Tech by the scores of 30-26, 30-22, and 30-27. Barry led with 45 assists and three service aces. Megan McDonald (5-10, Jr., Kirkland, IL/Rockford Lutheran) had a team-high 12 kills, with Kelly adding 11. Parker also added 10 kills and 3.5 blocks. Caitlin Whealy had 3.5 blocks.

On Wednesday, when the Cavs host Cedarville, they are raising money for the Breast Cancer Foundation. Fans are encouraged to support the foundation by purchasing pink "Bump, Set, Spike-Out Cancer" t-shirts that will be sold at the game.

Jill Barry leads the AMC, and is third in the NAIA in assists, averaging 14.0 per game.  Erica Parker leads the AMC, and is sixth in the NAIA in hitting percentage (.420).  Heather Hernandez is second in the AMC in digs per game at 6.7, and Megan McDonald is fourth in kills (308).