Miami Ohio University Athletics
MIAMI MONDAY
2/14/2011 12:00:00 AM | General
Feb. 14, 2011
MIAMI MONDAY
OXFORD, Ohio--RedHawk teams wound up a mostly successful week of competition yesterday, and this week the Miami baseball and softball teams make their season debuts.
Let's start with back-to-back victories by Coach Charlie Coles' men's basketball team. Yet another dramatic, last-minute comeback by the RedHawks took place Saturday night at Toledo where Miami (13-12 overall, 8-3 MAC) defused the Rockets, 68-66. Julian Mavunga's put-back layup with just two second left was the game-winner. It was the fourth straight win for the RedHawks (13-12; 8-3 Mid-American Conference) and their fourth road win of the season. (RECAP) That sets up what promises to be an exciting showdown on Wednesday at Millett between second-place Miami and first-place Kent State. Tipoff is at 7 p.m. On Saturday (12 noon), the RedHawks fly to Harrisonburg, Va. to take on James Madison in the annual Bracketbuster Game.
The women's basketball team wasn't as lucky as the men last weekend. Courtney Osborn scored a career-high 36 points, tied for the third-highest single-game total in Miami history, but the Western Michigan Broncos earned an 83-64 victory Saturday afternoon in Kalamazoo (RECAP). The RedHawks fell to 10-14 overall and 2-9 in the MAC. Coach Maria Fantanarosa's team hosts a pair of games this week at Millett, entertaining Kent State on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Bowling Green on Saturday (2 p.m.).
The ice hockey team hosted red-hot Western Michigan last Friday and Saturday at Steve Cady Arena. On Friday, No. 12 Miami settled for a 3-3 tie after WMU rallied in the third period. The Broncos scored in the fifth round of the shootout to earn an extra point in the CCHA standings. (RECAP) In the RedHawk seniors' final regular-season home game last Saturday, Miami jumped out to a three-goal lead and claimed a 3-1 win over WMU, putting an end to the Broncos' national-best 14-game undefeated streak. The RedHawks opened the game with all five seniors in the starting lineup after the quintet was recognized prior to the game as part of Senior Night festivities. The class of Justin Vaive, Vincent LoVerde, Andy Miele, Carter Camper and Pat Cannone has now won 102 games in its career, just the third class in school history to top the century mark. (RECAP) Miami (17-9-6, 14-7-5-2 CCHA) extended its own unbeaten streak to seven games and locked up a first-round bye in the CCHA Tournament with a guaranteed finish of at least fifth place. Western Michigan (15-7-10, 9-6-9-5) lost for the first time since Dec. 10, 2010 against Lake Superior State.
Hockey vs. WMU, Fri., PHOTO GALLERY
Hockey vs. WMU, Sat., PHOTO GALLERY
With a third-place finish in the free skate event on Saturday, Miami University's senior synchronized skating team ended up finishing in third place at the Spring Cup in Milan, Italy, among a 10-team field. Representing the United States at the international event, the RedHawks recorded a score of 107.86, despite three deductions, for their free skate program themed "Hypnotized in a Dream." Miami finished second in the short program with a score of 60.51 to its program choreographed to "Bridge over Troubled Water" and placed third overall with a combined score of 168.37. Team Surprise (Sweden) had the top score for the free skate (126.75) and finished first at the Spring Cup with a combined score of 191.75. Tatarstan (Russia) had the second-best score for the free skate with a 117.95 to move ahead of the RedHawks in the final standings with a combined score of 176.80. (RECAP) Miami will host its National Send-Off, one of the few home performances by all three teams all season, at 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 28 in Steve Cady Arena at the Goggin Ice Center before all three teams head to the U.S. National Championships in Ontario, Calif., March 3-5.
In women's tennis action on Sunday, Miami earned a split of a rare tennis doubleheader Sunday, topping Detroit 7-0 after falling to Michigan State 6-1 in the morning. The win over the Titans snapped a three-game losing streak for the RedHawks, who stand 5-3 overall. Miami lacked depth in the early match because of a injury to No. 4 NIMISH MOHAN. The RedHawks' duo of Stephanie Danesis and Megan Martzolf improved to 7-1 with an 8-2 win at No. 1, but Michigan State earned the point with wins at Nos. 2 and 3. The Spartans win five of six singles matches, with Anastasia Dracheva posting the only win of the match at No. 2, 6-3, 7-5, over Valentia Rusakova. In the evening, Miami captured every one of the matches played, earning a 7-0 victory over the Detroit. One of the wins came from junior Jessica Parr, who made her career dual match debut in place of Mohan. Coach Anca Dumitrescu's squad returns to action next weekend with a Saturday match at Kentucky.
The Miami University men's track and field team put on a dominating performance Friday at the Cedarville Collegiate Invitational at Doden Field House, winning the meet easily while earning six event wins on the track and another two in field events. The meet was the second of three indoor competitions the RedHawks are allowed by compete in by NCAA rules in preparation for their outdoor campaign. The RedHawks totaled 215 points to take first at the 15-team meet while the host Yellow Jackets were second with 126 points. Walsh University took third with 71.5 points while local rival Xavier was fourth with 69 points. (RECAP) Next Saturday, Coach Warren Mandrell's team drives to Columbus to compete in the Capitol University Rick Meindl Last Call Meet.
In women's track and field last weekend at Bloomington, Ind., a pair of RedHawks won individual events Friday evening while the Miami University women's track and field team also was victorious in a relay in the Hoosier Hills Invitational, hosted by Indiana University. Senior Kelley Miller won the mile run in a season-best 4:50.88, the fourth-best time in school history, all of which have been clocked by Miller. (Friday RECAP) (Saturday RECAP) Miami returns to the state of Indiana next weekend as it competes at the Ball State Quadrangular, Friday, Feb. 18 in Muncie, which serves as a final tune-up before the Mid-American Conference Championships Feb. 25-26 in Bowling Green, Ohio.
A pair of Miami RedHawk athletic standouts--track and field's Rachel Patterson and swimming's JOHN EICK-- won honors as the Mid-American Conference Scholar Athletes of the Week. (RELEASE)
This Thursday, at Bruno's Pizza in West Chester, another installment of HawkTalk takes place (7 p.m.), with Steve Baker serving as host. If you can't make it over to West Chester for the show, tune into these Miami Sports Network affiliates (WKBV, WMOH and WONE).
Coach Dan Simonds RedHawk baseball team opens its season this weekend (Feb. 18-20) with three games at the College of Charleston Invitational in South Carolina. Miami plays Marshall on Friday (1 p.m.), host Charleston on Saturday (1 p.m.) and Kentucky on Sunday (11 a.m.).
Miami's softball team, with Coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly at the helm, takes the field this weekend with five games at the Central Florida Tournament in Orlando. The RedHawks play Delaware (9 a.m.) and Notre Dame (2 p.m.) on Friday, then Illinois-Chicago (9 a.m.) and host Central Florida (2 p.m.) on Saturday. On Sunday, Miami will play in either the consolation game (9:30 a.m.) or the championship game (11:30 a.m.).
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
--www.MURedHawks.com--
