September 8, 2008

This Week in Walsh University Athletics

Monday, September 8, 2008

Tues. 9
Volleyball (H) vs. Malone College 7 pm

Wed. 10

Women's Soccer (H) Daemen College 4 pm

Men's Soccer (H) Daemen College 6:30 pm

Fri. 12
Volleyball at Wittenberg University Tournament
vs. Ohio Northern 3 pm/Wittenberg 7 pm

Sat. 13
Football (H) vs. Seton Hill University 11:45 am (EST) 900 AM WCER, 640 AM WHLO

Cross Country (H) Ric Sayre Invitational - Women 10 am/Men 10:45 am

Women's Soccer (H) Shawnee State University 5 pm

Men’s Soccer (H) Shawnee State University 7 pm

Volleyball at Wittenberg University Tournament
 vs. Hiram College 10 am/College of Mount St. Joseph 2 pm

Sun. 14
Men’s Soccer (H) University of Saint Francis (IN) 2 pm

Women’s Golf at Youngstown State Invitational 2 pm

FOOTBALL: Cavs Fall in Home Opener

Walsh (1-1) lost its first home opener since 1995, falling 24-10 to West Liberty State College last Saturday at Fawcett Stadium in front of 2,243 fans.  The Cavs are home again this Saturday, facing another NCAA II opponent, when they host Seton Hill University (2-0) at 12 pm.  The game will be broadcast live on the Walsh University Football Network (AM 900 WCER, News-Talk 640 WHLO AM and www.wcer.us). Game time is 12 pm (EST) with the pre-game show starting at 11:45am.

The Hilltoppers defense limited the Cavs to 10 first downs and 252 yards total offense.   Penalties and turnovers also hurt the Cavs, as they turned the ball over three times on interceptions and were whistled for 11 penalties. 
 
West Liberty scored on its first possession, as Tony DiMarco caught a 33-yd TD pass from back-up quarterback Nate Worek.  The point after put the Hilltoppers up 7-0 at the 11:56 mark of the first quarter.  Walsh then put together their best drive of the game, marching 72 yards in seven plays, but had to settle for a 32-yard field goal from Eric Buchanan (So., Green Cove Springs, FL/Clay) at the 5:35 of the first quarter.  Walsh took its only lead of the game in the second period (12:53), when Clinton Blossomgame (So., Columbus, OH/Beechcroft) raced 68 yards for a TD, to put the Cavs up 10-7 after Buchanan's point after.  Blossomgame led Walsh with 123 yards on 28 carries.  West Liberty tied the game with 11 seconds left in the first half on a 43-yard field goal.  The drive was boosted by a pass interference call on Walsh, which gave West Liberty a first down at the Walsh 39-yard line.
 
The Hilltoppers snapped the tie in the third quarter, when Worek connected on a 27-yard TD pass to Eddie Hills.  They added a fourth quarter score with 49 seconds to play, when Branden Ore scored on an eight-yard run.  Ore, a transfer from NCAA I Virginia Tech, led all rushers with 167 yards on 26 carries.  Worek completed 12 of 18 passes for 173 yards.

Walsh owns a 2-0 series lead on this week's opponent, Seton Hill.  The Griffins however, are off to the best start in school history a 2-0.  Seton Hill, in its third year, defeated Slippery Rock 27-20 week one and Geneva College 27-18 last week.  The Cavs won 23-7 in 2006 and 12-10 last year.  This will be Seton Hill's first visit to Fawcett Stadium.

CROSS COUNTRY (MEN): Cavs Host First Annual Ric Sayre Invitational on Saturday

After racing in last Saturday's Alumni Run, the Cavs (2-6) return to action this Saturday in the first annual five-team Ric Sayre Invitational.  Sayre earned NAIA All-American status for Walsh in 1979 and 1980 and was a US National Champion in the marathon after leaving Walsh.  The race begins at 10:45 am.

CROSS COUNTRY (Women): Cavs Compete in Ric Sayre Invitational on Saturday

Walsh (6-3) returns to action this Saturday in the first annual five-team Ric Sayre Invitational.  Sayre earned NAIA All-American status for Walsh's men's team in 1979 and 1980 and was a US National Champion in the marathon after leaving Walsh.  The race begins at 10 am.

MEN’S SOCCER: Cavs Open AMC Play This Week

Walsh (1-3-1) opens American Mideast Conference play this week, with two conference games.  The Cavs host Daemen College Wednesday (6:30 pm) and Shawnee State University on Saturday (6:30 pm).  On Sunday, the Cavs meet the University of Saint Francis (IN) at 2 pm.  The Cavs were 0-2-1 in three games last week.  Losing 2-1 at Bethel and finishing with a tie and loss at the Marietta College Tournament. 

Bethel snapped a 1-1 tie at the 73-minute mark of the second half, and then hung on for a 2-1 win over the Cavs (2-1).  Alex Birtcher (Sr., Napoleon, OH/HS) scored Walsh's only goal on a penalty kick.  Walsh out shot Bethel 13-8 and had 11 corner kicks to Bethel's four.  Walsh keeper Ben Pflum (Sr., Napoleon, OH/HS) recorded eight saves.

Walsh and Marietta played to a 1-1 overtime tie at the Marietta College Tournament.  The game was called due to darkness after a single overtime.  Walsh, however, advanced to the championship by winning a shootout 5-4.  Alex Birtcher scored Walsh's only goal (unassisted) at the 16:32 mark of the first half to take a 1-0 lead.  Marietta tied the contest on a penalty kick at the 32:59 mark.  Ben Pflum recorded seven saves. 

The Cavs lost 4-1 to Christopher Newport University (3-1) in the championship game of the Marietta College Tournament on Sunday.  For the third straight game Alex Birtcher scored Walsh's only goal, at the 58:08 mark of the second half.  The goal cut the Newport lead to 2-1.  Winston Mattheisen scored twice in the first half (1:18, 24:25) to give Newport a 2-0 lead.  They would then tack on two more goals (61:20, 87:12) for the 4-1 final.  The Cavs were out shot 24-12.  Birtcher, along with keeper Ben Pflum, Ben Latimer (So., Sunbury, OH/Big Walnut) and Camden McCreary (Jr., Massillon, OH/Jackson) were selected to the all-tournament team. 

WOMEN’S SOCCER: Cavs Win Marietta College Tournament/Zanney Named MVP

Walsh pulled even at 2-2 by winning the Marietta College Tournament last weekend.  This week, the Cavs open American Mideast Conference play on Wednesday (6:30 pm) against Daemen College and then meet Shawnee State University on Saturday (4 pm).

Walsh won its first game of the season, and advanced to the championship game of the Marietta College Tournament, with a 2-1 win over the host Pioneers on Saturday.   All the scoring came in the first half, as Walsh's Amanda Patrick (Jr., Medina, OH/Cloverleaf) scored on a free kick at the 4:17 mark of the first half, on an assist from Megan Jurcak (Fr., Hudson, OH/JHS) to give the Cavs a 1-0 lead.  Leya Spence (Sr., Mansfield, OH/Madison) then scored on a header off of a corner at the 36:48 on an assist from Jess Wilson (Fr., Hartville, OH/Lake).  Marietta scored with five seconds to play in the first half to trim the lead to 2-1.  The final 45 minutes were scoreless, as Cavs keeper Jillian Zanney (Fr., Brunswick, OH/OH) recorded her first career shutout with five saves.  Walsh out shot Marietta 17-8.

Abbie Sullivan (Sr., Canton, OH/GlenOak) scored the winning goal in Walsh's 1-0 victory over SUNY-Bridgeport (NY) in the championship game. Sullivan's tally came at the 5:03 mark in the first half.  Jess Wilson (Fr, Hartville, OH/Lake) assisted on Sullivan's game-winner.  Jillian Zanney had nine saves between the pipes.  The Cavs placed five players on the all-tournament team; Sullivan, Wilson, Megan Jurcak, Stacy Poliak (Jr., Parma, OH/Normandy) and keeper Jillian Zanney, who was also tabbed tournament MVP. 

VOLLEYBALL: Cavs Win ITT/SXU Invitational

NAIA No. 17 Walsh (5-3) won all four matches at the Illinois Tech/Saint Xavier Tournament this past weekend in Chicago.  This week, the Cavs meet rival Malone College on Tuesday at Alumni Arena at 7 pm.  The Cavs then play in the Wittenberg University Tournament on Friday and Saturday.  The Cavs meet Ohio Northern University (3 pm) and Wittenberg (7 pm) on Friday, and tangle with Hiram College (10 am) and the College of Mount St. Joseph (2 pm) on Saturday.

Walsh downed Illinois Tech in four games, 25-15, 30-32, 25-16 and 25-20 and the University of Saint Francis in three games; 25-16, 25-23 and 25-23 on Friday.  Megan McDonald (Sr., Kirkland, IL/Rockford Lutheran) led the attack with 21 kills in the Illinois Tech win.  Erica Parker (Sr., Concord, OH/Mentor) added 13.  Freshman setter Marie Jubak (Cincinnati, OH/McNicholas) had 56 assists, Ashley Yuhas (So., Elyria, OH/HS) added 17 digs, with Parker adding 16 and Natalie Phillips (Fr., Wooster, OH/HS) 15.  Parker had 2.5 blocks and Phillips four aces.  In the win over USF, McDonald and Hilary Dattilo (Sr., Mason, OH/HS) each had nine kills, with Jubak handing out 28 assists.  Yuhas had 20 digs, while Parker added three aces and three blocks.

Walsh finished a perfect 4-0 for the weekend to win the Illinois Tech/St. Xavier Tournament.  Walsh defeated Indiana Wesleyan in four games (25-21, 23-25, 25-22, and 25-23) and host Saint Xavier University in three games (25-16, 25-22, 25-21).  Megan McDonald paced the attack with 24 kills in the win over Indiana Wesleyan.  Erica Parker added 17 kills and Megan Kelly (So., Brook Park, OH/Holy Name) 14. Marie Jubak handed out 59 assists and 15 digs.  Ashley Yuhas led with 20 digs.  In the win over Saint Xavier, Hilary Dattilo led with 10 kills, Jubak had 26 assists and Yuhas 13 digs.