Category: Sports

Tough loss brings experience for freshman goalie

By Jalen Daoust, Transcript Correspondent

The men’s lacrosse team lost 12-11 against the top-five ranked Tigers in a shootout that went into overtime while also giving one freshman some well needed experience.

The Ohio Wesleyan Lacrosse men’s team started the season Feb. 18. They would play their first game against Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) who are currently ranked #2 according to usila.org’s coaches poll.

Between performances by young freshmen talent, and leadership from the returners on the team put up a fight and set the tone for the rest of the season.

The Bishops went down 5-0 to RIT in the beginning minutes of the game. With the home field advantage, they didn’t give up and fought back to force the game into overtime.

“Going down 5 goal was nerve-wracking, but a senior came over and told me to calm down and I got comfortable and goal,” said freshman goalkeeper Joey Sichenzia.

Leadership by returning starters Max Tennant, who finished the game with three goals, and junior Trent Schulte, who had the first goal to start the Bishop’s came back, the team rallied and put up a fight. After a few big hits, and a couple goals, they found the back of the RIT net. It was time for the freshmen to show what they’ll be bringing to the table this year.

One of the biggest freshmen additions to the team this year is Sichenzia who has started all three games for the Bishops this season and his best game was his first ever collegiate match against RIT.

Although he let in five quick goals he then followed that up with nine saves. Which is tied for the most saves in an opening game since records have started being kept here at OWU.

There is high hopes from Sichenzia this season as he has been solid in goal since the first 12-11 overtime loss to RIT. Sichenzia has a lot of confidence going forward after the first loss.

“Even though we lost still had a lot fun and still made a statement that we are not a team to mess with. Although these big teams are definitely no joke…neither are we,” said Sichenzia.

The Bishops have a chance to do big things in both the NCAC and in the NCAA tournament this year if they can keep up their fierce play. As more freshmen continue to step up into roles on the team they will just become stronger.

The returners on the team will continue to bring leadership and teach the freshmen the winning culture of being a Bishop’s this season. They are currently at ranked #13 according to the week 2 coaches poll on usila.org.

NCAA denies OWU men’s basketball

By Evan Walsh, Chief Copy Editor

Despite finishing the year with 21 wins and a conference championship appearance, the Bishops were not chosen to compete in this year’s Division III National Tournament.

Ohio Wesleyan defeated Kenyon and Wittenberg en route to the NCAC championship game.

However, their 14-game win streak came to an end against College of Wooster in front of a home crowd on Saturday evening.

Down by 21 points at the half, OWU rallied late for a comeback. But it was not enough as the

Fighting Scots held on to beat OWU 76-72.

OWU can still call itself NCAC champions since they had the best regular season record.

That marks 2016-17 as the third consecutive year OWU has earned that title.

The decision not to include OWU was made Monday afternoon. It took some players and fans of the program by surprise.

Captain Ben Simpson, a senior, said he was disappointed by the news, but not entirely surprised.

“I was nervous about [tournament prospects] and thought that we had about a 50/50 chance of making it in,” Simpson said.

Athletic Director Roger Ingles said he shared some of Simpson’s disappointment.

“The NCAA selection process sometimes can seem very unfair. Our men’s team is the first NCAC regular season championship team to be left out of the tournament since the early 1990’s,” Ingles said.

It is likely that early, out of conference losses to weaker teams, hurt OWU’s National Tournament chances.

“The process is based on strength of schedule, won-loss record, opponent’s strength of schedule and success, games and won-loss versus regionally ranked opponents,” Ingles said

With the win, Wooster qualifies automatically and will be the only team representing the conference at the tournament.

Simpson, Eugene Coleman, Jon Griggs and Erick Bryant are among the team’s seniors. They turn the reigns over to Academic All-American Nate Axelrod and fellow captain Seth Clark.

Simpson said he felt positive about his experience. Quoting Dr. Seuss, Simpson said, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

Ohio Wesleyan men’s basketball roll past the College of Wooster

By Aleksei Pavloff, Sports Editor

The Ohio Wesleyan University men’s basketball climbed to the top of the NCAC standings with a win against the College of Wooster on Feb. 11.

Senior Ben Simpson and junior Nate Axelrod contributed nearly 50 points combined in the win against the conference rival. In the previous game, when the Bishops played the Scots, the score was 99-76.

The lingering thought of the last time these two teams met motivated the Bishops and the hard work and preparation paid off with the score 81-72.

“We realized that this was a big one with only a few games left,” said sophomore Chris Allocco. “We needed to not make the same mistakes as last time.”

“The main thing we needed to change was our competitiveness,” said Axelrod.

“We just wore them down throughout the game.”

The Scots did not just give in. At the half, the score was Wooster leading 38-30.

That did not faze the team, however. They went from scoring 39.9 percent of their three-point shots in the first half to 52.94 percent.

“Throughout the game, we trusted the process even when we were down,” Axelrod said. “We had faith in each other and we knew we would give them a run for their money.”

At the end of the game, Simpson and Axelrod had stand-out performances and together contributed 49 points, 7 assists and 4 blocks. They also recorded 37 minutes played in the game.

One aspect that influenced the game was the fans or as they should be called the “Sixth Man.”

“The fans are a great help. They really gave us the energy we needed,” said Axelrod.

“The fans were great,” said Allocco. “The combination of senior night and the stakes in the game made the atmosphere that much better.”

There is no looking back. The Bishops are now in the driver’s seat in the NCAC and are looking forward to the possibility of meeting the Fighting Scots one more time. Both Allocco and Axelrod believe that the teams will play again. But only time will tell.

“If things go the way we want, we will definitely play them again,” said Axelrod. “I have no doubt we will come out with the same energy again.”

Women’s basketball team falls against 15th ranked DePauw

By Aleksei Pavloff, Sports Editor

The Ohio Wesleyan University women’s basketball played the DePauw Tigers and lost by a large margin with the final score 74-46.

On Jan. 21, the women’s basketball team competed against the Tigers for the second time this season. The last time they played, DePauw won with the score 70-59. The Bishops hoped to correct the problems from the first game as they prepared for the second.

“We were pumped, motivated, excited, locked in on what we needed to do,” said OWU wing junior Hallie Sinko. “We knew they would come out strong. We were so close last time, we figured if we gave a little bit more, it would be a more matched up game, but that wasn’t the case.”

DePauw came into Branch Rickey Arena scoring 24 points in the first quarter, while OWU scored 7 points. At the half, the Tigers scored 42 points. Sinko said the team’s motivation to turn things around was apparent in the locker room at halftime. DePauw held onto their lead with the final score 74-46.

“Communication, consistency, every individual needs to be fully locked in the whole game and bring the same intensity for all 40 minutes,” Sinko said. “Just take it quarter by quarter.”

Sophomore point guard Lisa Zeller said, “We didn’t do our best but we are all we need. We just need to be consistent.”

Senior captain Megan Kuether reached her 1000th point in her college basketball career. Zeller said she was glad to see the senior pass a huge milestone that only few have reached.

“She inspires all of us,” Zeller said, adding that Kuether and the rest of the seniors will be missed because they contribute a lot to the team’s success. She also said that being consistent is what the team needs to do for in preparation for its next game.

The women’s team have a 7-12 overall recod and are 4-6 in the NCAC.

Men’s basketball finishes sweetly and strong

By Aleksei Pavloff, Sports Editor

Seth Clark and the Ohio Wesleyan University’s men’s basketball team stayed consistent with another conference win over the DePauw Tigers on Jan. 21.

Earlier in the week, the men’s team played Wittenberg at home with the final score 76-70.

After beating their conference foe, the team’s intentions were clear heading into the game versus DePauw.

“We knew that DePauw would be tough, but we knew that we had to stay focused,” said sophomore guard Chris Allocco. “We also knew we had to strike early to set the tone.”

The Bishops never seemed to pull away from the Tigers as they trailed by 9 points at the half.

However, the DePauw Tigers tried to claw their way back in the second half, but still fell short with the final score 79-72.

“They are a good team that plays hard,” said junior point guard Nate Axelrod, who contributed 13 points to the win. “They have improved a lot since last time we played them. Their shooting guard is the lead scoring in the league so we had to put pressure on him.”

Axelrod’s performance seemed to be the key in the close win over DePauw. He played for 33 minutes of the game.

Teammate wing Law Jones said Axelrod’s ability to control the offense helped set the team up for success.

“It’s also fun to watch him play,” Jones said.

However, Axelrod was not the only factor in the win. Junior guard Seth Clark scored 31 points.

“It’s not a surprise to see [Clark] play like that,” Jones said. “It was fun to watch him hit everything on offense and lockdown on defense. I hope he will keep it going for the rest of the season.”

As of now, the Bishops are 10-2 in the NCAC and have a 13-6 overall record.

Men’s basketball back on track after NCAC victory

By Matt Maier, Transcript Reporter

With fall sports wrapping up last week, the winter season is upon us and the men’s basketball team is in full force.

Opening their season with a game against Albion College Nov. 18, the Battling Bishops won 91-77 with help from players like Ben Simpson and Will Orr. Simpson led the Bishops with 21 points.

“The main thing that I do is watch film and determine how I can exploit my matchup,” Simpson said. “I love determining what I can do as a player to get the whole team involved as well.”

A day later, the Bishops played Trine University and won 79-72. This time, it was Orr who led the Bishops with 21 points, making seven of his 13 attempts from long range.

“I really just get my body ready mentally and physically,” Orr said.

“During pre-game, I shoot and make sure that I am knocking down my shots.”

Since the Trine game, the Bishops hit a three-game losing streak, losing to opponents like Capital, Illinois Wesleyan and Otterbein.

Against Capital, the men’s team lost 76-82; against Illinois Wesleyan, they lost 70-88 and against Otterbein, the men’s team fell short 66-72. But coach Mike DeWitt said he is optimistic about the future.

“Right now we just need to trust the process and trust each other,” DeWitt said. “If we can do that, we’ll get better as the season progresses and be a good team.”

Orr said, “I think we just need to remain a family, continue to trust each other and all use a boost of confidence to get through this.”

The Bishops beat DePauw in a close game with a score of 84-71 on Dec. 3. In this game, it was Simpson who led the team with 25 points.

Bishop’s training to win, again

By Matt Maier, Transcript Reporter

Following a first place victory last year in the NCAC championship, the Ohio Wesleyan track team is looking forward to continuing on the success they have had in the past.

“I enjoy the new challenges that each season brings,” said head coach Kris Boey. “While there is a great tradition, I am excited about the future. I am looking forward to seeing who will fill the shoes of the seniors who graduated last year.”

In the offseason, the track team had a new addition as Ben Carlson was named the head coach of the men and women’s cross country teams, as well as the assistant coach of the men and women’s track and field teams.

“It’s been a great transition to OWU,” Carlson said. “It’s always tough leaving a group of people, but I’m thankful for the opportunity at OWU. The students and the coaching staff have been fantastic in their reception.”

To prepare for the season, the team has been training since October in hopes to win the events they are scheduled for this season.

“We have been training together since Oct. 31 and to prepare for our various events, we have been comprehensive in our manner,” said Boey. “Each year I want our student athletes to improve, experience success and to have fun. We always expect to be at the top of the conference and region.”

Winter is coming

By Matt Maier, Transcript Reporter

With one of the best fall seasons yet, it’s time to take a look back at some of the accomplishments the Battling Bishops earned this fall.

The men’s football team finished with a 6-4 record this fall, overcoming last season’s 5-5 record. That’s not all the football team accomplished.

Senior quarterback Dominick Orsini set a school record for total offense, including the second highest single-game rushing performance in school history.

Orsini ran for 252 yards in a win against DePauw, while throwing for 242 yards. Other members of the team won NCAC honors as senior Gary Brodek was first-team All-NCAC, senior Brad Dotson and senior Tim Shadoan were second-team All-NCAC and junior Brad Brodeck and senior Mason Tomblin were honorable mention picks.

In the NCAC championship meet, the men’s cross country team finished fourth, as junior John Sotos repeated as a first-team All-NCAC selection.

The women’s cross country team finished fifth at the NCAC championship meet, where senior Sarah Fowler earned Runner of the Year while also winning All-Amer- ican honors for the second year in a row.

The men’s soccer team finished with a 10-5-3 record and a trip to the NCAA tournament first round.

“I think overall, we had a great year and it was a year that our team learned a lot,” said senior goalkeeper Ben Farynowksi. “We are young and I think the guys coming up are going to do a great job continuing on the legacy of OWU soccer.”

The men’s soccer team had five All-NCAC picks: senior Kyle Baum was a first-team selection, senior Nick Norman was a second-team All-NCAC pick, while senior Ben Farynowski, sophomore Will Sharer and freshman Brady Whittekind were honorable mention selections. Norman was also voted to the Academic All-America first-team.

The women’s soccer team finished with a 7-10 record, greatly improving from their 1-15-1 record in 2015. Three players were selected to the All-NCAC team including sophomore Mackenzie Brunke and senior Alyssa Giarrusso being first-team all-conference, with sophomore Hannah Joseph being an honorable mention selection.

The women’s field hockey team finished with a 5-14 record and three All-NCAC selections. Junior Courtney Peterson was selected as a first-team All-NCAC selec- tion, with senior Candace Chanelli and junior Paige Haenig being selected to the honorable mention team.

The women’s volleyball team finished with a 19-13 record and three players were selected to the all-conference teams. Junior Iris Anderson was a first-team pick, and seniors Shelby Ksiazek and Shannon Schlater were named to the second-team All-NCAC teams.

The fall season proved to be a defiant time for the Battling Bishops. Winter sports have started and the Bishops are off to a great start.

OWU Rugby wraps up fall season

By Ross Hickenbottom, Sports Editor

The Ohio Wesleyan club Rugby men’s and women’s squads recently wrapped up it’s fall seasons, both being named semifinalists in their conference championship tour- naments. The women are part of the Ohio Valley Women’s Collegiate Rugby Conference, along with NCAC rivals Hiram, Denison, Kenyon, Oberlin and Wittenberg, and the men are part of the Great Lakes Collegiate Rugby Confer- ence Central Division along with Denison Kenyon and Oberlin.

Both squads began their fall season as early as August 31, just a week after classes began at OWU. Their seasons consisted of games versus much larger schools including Xavier University, Ashland and the University of Kentucky. With only seven weeks of contests before the National Small College Rugby Organization playoffs.

Coach John English, who began coaching the men’s program midway through the spring of 2014, and in the fall of 2015, took over as the Director of Rugby for both men’s and women’s programs, set a goal to put Ohio Wesleyan University Rugby on the forefront of Ohio rugby.

“There has been great support for the rugby program from everyone at OWU, from the President all the way down,” he said.

“The university does a great job in recognizing the success of the players and program as a whole.”

As far as putting OWU on the map for Rugby, he has done just that. Both teams finished with winning seasons, and chalked up impressive numbers against opponents such as men’s wins over Oberlin 68-0 and Ashland 87-14, and a staggering women’s win over Wittenberg 55-7.

The OWU Rugby program continues to grow and gain relevance on campus through constant recruiting and adver- tisement among campus. The men’s team fielded 20 players in their first bout of the 2016 fall season while the women’s team fielded 25. Both numbers have shown an increase as compared to previous years in the program.

On Saturday the 29th, the men ended their season with a hard fought loss against the Jackets from Baldwin Wallace, 14-46 while the women ended theirs with a loss to the Oilers from Findlay 25-0.

The OWU Rugby teams are clubs of men and women student-athletes committed to the constant pursuit of perfect pitch, and are always recruiting.

Orsini sets precedent for OWU Quarterbacks

By Matt Maier, Transcript Reporter

As a senior football player, nothing is more exciting than performing best in your final season on the team.

That was the case when senior quarterback Dominick Orsini set a school record for total offense and the second highest single-game rushing performance in the history of Ohio Wesleyan football.

On Oct. 22, the OWU men’s football team played DePauw University in which Orsini had 252 rushing yards on just 25 carry attempts and also had three touch-downs.

Orsini threw for 242 yards and one throwing touchdown. Total, Orsini had 494 yards in offense, breaking the school record of 484 yards that was set by Mason Espinosa on Nov. 13, 2010.

“Great preparation and focus helped me achieve these records, but most importantly, my team- mates playing extraordinarily well and doing their part helped me accomplish this,” Orsini said.

Orsini was named to the d3football.com’s Team of the Week. The honor recognizes six offensive players, one offensive line, 11 defensive players and four special teams players from around the nation. Along with this honor, Orsini was also named the NCAC athlete for the week of Oct. 24.

In his senior season, Orsini said he is proving to leave it all on the field. Teammates and coaches recognize this fact and praise his efforts.

“Having a guy like Dom [Orsini] on our team is something that makes our team special,” said senior captain Mason Tomblin. “He is always putting himself in the best situation to make our team better and I think he exemplifies OWU football perfectly.”

Looking back on his time at OWU and his past few games, Orsini said he has no regrets or ill feelings toward finishing a great career.

“It’s been an incredible feeling to end my career with these games and achievements, but ending with these great memories and doing it … with my brothers on the gridiron is an indescribable feeling that I’ll cherish with me throughout the rest of my life,” Orsini said.

The men’s football team will play Allegheny next at 1 p.m. Nov. 5 in Meadville, Pennsylvania.