Athletics Good Stuff – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/13/2006 12:00:00 AM | General
Sept. 13, 2006
Athletes of the Week
Football linebacker James Laurinaitis was named Big TenDefensive Player of the Week after the Buckeyes’ win over Texas.Laurinaitis led the Buckeyes with a career-best 13 tackles andadded a tackle for loss, two forced fumbles and an interception toboost Ohio State to a road victory over the Longhorns, thedefending national champion. The Buckeyes defense, which replacednine starters this season, held a Longhorns offense that had scoredat least 40 points in 12 straight games to a single touchdown.Laurinaitis, one of those new starters, collected 10 solo stops onthe night and recorded a pair of game-changing plays. After Texasdrove to OSU’s seven-yard line in the first quarter, the sophomorelinebacker forced a fumble that was recovered by defensive backDonald Washington and returned to the 50-yard line. The Buckeyesneeded only five plays to score a touchdown for a 7-0 lead. In thethird quarter, Laurinaitis intercepted a pass and returned it 25yards to the Texas 21-yard line to set up an OSU field goal and a17-7 advantage. This marks the first weekly accolade of his career.Field hockey midfielder Yesenia Luces was named Big Ten DefensivePlayer of the Week for the second week in a row, the conferenceannounced Monday. The junior continued her strong play in the OSUmidfield to help the Buckeyes top Pacific, 6-2, Sunday at NorthTurf Field to remain undefeated this season at 4-0. Luces, a nativeof Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, contributed offensively anddefensively to Ohio State’s win over the Tigers. Luces helpedanchor the Ohio State defense which limited Pacific to nine shots,five of which were on goal. The Tigers entered the game averaging17.3 shots per game and 10.4 shots on goal per game. Luces alsocontributed to the offense with four points on a goal and twoassists. She scored the first goal of the game and assisted on thefourth and fifth OSU goals to help the Buckeyes pull away in thesecond half.
Athletics Good Stuff
The men’s and women’s cross country teams opened their seasonsat the Xavier Invitational by successfully defending their 2005team titles at the event Saturday in West Chester, Ohio. Bothsquads featured individual meet champions as junior John Ealy wonthe title for the second year in a row and freshman Sarah Fostermade her Buckeye debut by winning the 5K race.
The men’s team, for the second year in a row, won with a perfect score of 15. The top eight finishers in the event were all Buckeyes. Freshman Chad Balyo made his debut by placing fourth with a time of 15:42.00. The women’s team defended their title, led by underclassmen Foster and sophomore Rachel Stichter, who finished second in a time of 18:43.75. The women’s team won the meet with 22 points.
The men’s and women’s teams both will compete next week in their first home meet since the 2003 season. The Buckeye Invitational will be held at The Ohio State University Golf Course Friday, Sept. 15 at 4 p.m.
A string of four-consecutive games against Top 25 opponentscame to an end Sunday for the men’s soccer team with a 1-1 tieagainst No. 13 San Francisco. The Buckeyes (1-3-2) host BowlingGreen at 7:30 p.m. Thursday before beginning Big Ten play on theroad at 4 p.m. Sunday at Northwestern. On the line will be OhioState’s 12-consecutive victories in Big Ten openers. Thesixth-ranked field hockey team remains undefeated in 2006 as ittopped Pacific by a score of 6-2 Sunday in the Buckeyes’ first homegame of the season at North Turf Field. Juniors Michaela O’Malleyand Yesenia Luces each tallied four points as OSU upped its recordto 4-0, tying its best start since 2001. O’Malley scored two goalswith Luces, Jamie Gofgosky, Curlyne Wynn and Linda Haussener eachscoring goals as well. Senior Saskia Mueller had two assists in thegame. Freshman goalkeeper Lindsay Quintiliani had three saves andpicked up her fourth win this year. Overall, OSU out-shot Pacific18-9 with 13 shots on goal. This season, the Buckeyes are averaging19.8 shots per game to their opponents’ 8.0.
Ohio State will next face in-state rival Miami Wednesday at 3 p.m. at North Turf Field. This is the only time in the 2006 season the Buckeyes will play back-to-back home games.
Former Springfield (Mass.) College and University of RhodeIsland coach Jay Campbell has been named assistant women’sgymnastics coach at Ohio State, head coach Carey Fagan announced.Campbell joins the coaching staff of Fagan, who is in her thirdyear as head coach, and assistant coach Bill Lorenz. Campbell is a1998 University of Alabama graduate and has been in the coachingprofession since 1997, most recently as an assistant coach and theninterim head coach at the University of Rhode Island in 2005-06.From 2003-05 he was an assistant coach at Springfield inSpringfield, Mass. Grant Jones, MD, and Christopher Kaeding, MD, ofthe OSU Sports Medicine Center, were selected as two of the bestorthopaedic surgeons in the United States by the Best of the UnitedStates, Inc., an independent firm that reviews the credentials ofpractitioners in 14 professions to determine the “Best of Class” ineach. The “Best of the United States” selection process identifiesprofessionals who have continued their education, providedleadership in their industry, and have been recognized by theirpeers, industry and community as the best. For more information,visit www.bestofus.com. The women’s tennis team begins its fallseason as the Buckeyes travel to Princeton, N.J. for the PrincetonInvitational Sep. 15-17. The contest will be held on the PrincetonUniversity campus at the Lenz Tennis Center. 15th-ranked women’svolleyball won the Sports Imports Classic with 3-0 victories overTennessee Tech and Arizona State. Danielle Meyer had 19.5 pointsand Ami Stevens, 12 in the 30-14, 30-22, 30-22 win over TennesseeTech. Meyer produced 28 points and Briana McCarthy, 14.5 in the30-24, 30-24, 30-19 win over Arizona State. Meyer was named theMost Outstanding Player, McCarthy, the Best Server and Marisa Main,the Best Setter for the Classic.
The Buckeyes host IPFW (6-6) Tuesday at 7 p.m. in St. John Arena and travel to Youngstown State Wednesday at 7 p.m.
The men’s and women’s golf teams were on The OSU Golf ClubScarlet Course Monday qualifying for their respective fall seasonopening tournaments this week. The women’s team, ranked No. 18nationally in the preseason, begins play at Michigan State’s LadyNorthern Invitational while the men’s squad travels to Minnesotafor the Gopher Invite.
Ohio State Athletics Schedule
Sept. 12-30, 2006
Tuesday, Sept. 12
Women’s Volleyball vs. IPFW, 7 p.m.
St. John Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Wednesday, Sept. 13
Field Hockey vs. Miami (Ohio), 3 p.m.
North Turf Field, Columbus, Ohio
Women’s Volleyball at Youngstown State, 7 p.m.
Youngstown, Ohio
Thursday, Sept. 14
Men’s Soccer vs. Bowling Green, 7:30 p.m.
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Friday, Sept. 15
Cross Country Buckeye Invitational, 4 p.m.
OSU Golf Courses, Columbus, Ohio
Women’s Soccer vs. Cal, 7:30 p.m.
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Women’s Tennis at Princeton Invitational
Princeton, N.J.
Saturday, Sept. 16
Football vs. Cincinnati, Noon
Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Women’s Tennis at Princeton Invitational
Princeton, N.J.
Women’s Golf at Lady Northern Invitational
East Lansing, Mich.
Men’s Golf at Gopher Invitational
Wayzata, Minn.
Sunday, Sept. 17
Field Hockey at St. Louis, 1 p.m.
St. Louis, Mo.
Women’s Soccer vs. Washington, 2 p.m.
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Men’s Soccer at Northwestern, 4 p.m.
Evanston, Ill.
Men’s Golf at Gopher Invitational
Wayzata, Minn.
Women’s Golf at Lady Northern Invitational
East Lansing, Mich.
Women’s Tennis at Princeton Invitational
Princeton, N.J.
Tuesday, Sept. 19
Field Hockey at Ohio, 6 p.m.
Athens, Ohio
Wednesday, Sept. 20
Men’s Soccer at Butler, 3 p.m.
Indianapolis, Ind.
Women’s Volleyball at Penn State, 8 p.m.
State College, Pa.
Friday, Sept. 22
Women’s Soccer vs. Wisconsin-Green Bay, 7:30 p.m.
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Women’s Tennis at Wake Forest Fall Invitational
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Women’s Tennis at Penn Cissie Leary Invitational
Philadelphia, Pa.
Saturday, Sept. 23
Women’s Volleyball at Iowa, 7 p.m.
Iowa City, Iowa
Football at Penn State, TBA
State College, Pa.
Women’s Tennis at Wake Forest Fall Invitational
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Women’s Tennis at Penn Cissie Leary Invitational
Philadelphia, Pa.
Sunday, Sept. 24
Field Hockey at Iowa, 1 p.m.
Iowa City, Iowa
Women’s Soccer at Indiana, 1 p.m.
Bloomington, Ind.
Women’s Tennis at Wake Forest Fall Invitational
Winston-Salem, N.C.
Women’s Tennis at Penn Cissie Leary Invitational
Philadelphia, Pa.
Tuesday, Sept. 26
Men’s Soccer vs. Akron, 7:30 p.m.
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Wednesday, Sept. 27
Field Hockey vs. Ball State, 3 p.m.
North Turf Field, Columbus, Ohio
Friday, Sept. 29
Women’s Volleyball at Purdue, 7 p.m.
West Lafayette, Ind.
Women’s Soccer vs. Wisconsin, 7:30 p.m.
Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Saturday, Sept. 30
Women’s Ice Hockey vs. Wilfrid Laurier, 1:07 p.m.
OSU Ice Rink, Columbus Ohio
Women’s Volleyball at Indiana, 7 p.m.
Bloomington, Ind.
Football at Iowa, 8 p.m.
Iowa City, Iowa
Women’s’ Golf at Wolverine Invitational
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Cross Country at Louisville
Louisville, Ky.
