Here’s a update on Bluffton University sports for the weekend ending Sept. 7.
Women’s golf
The Bluffton University women's golf team just missed out on the 18-hole record it set Saturday (367) but a 368 on Sunday, Sept. 8, gave the Beavers a school-record 735 for the weekend, a whopping 51 strokes lower than the school mark it set just a week ago.
Sophomore Keely Briggs (Franklin) tied Brylee Oberdorf's (Green Springs/Clyde) one-day old school mark with an 89 on Sunday. A 90 by Abby Bullion (Bellevue) gave her a 182 for the tournament, tying her with Briggs for low-scoring honors and establishing a new school record in the process.
The record-setting day saw five Beavers eclipse the previous mark of 192 and Grace Branson (193) was just one stroke away from making it a perfect six of six.
Freshman Marissa Hall (Avon Lake) fired a 91, giving her a 184 for the tournament. Brylee Oberdorf and Haley Gill (Indianapolis/Franklin Central) rounded out the weekend with scores of 187 and 191, respectively.
Bluffton returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 14, when the Beavers travel to Mohawk Country Club for the Heidelberg Fall Invite.
Men’s golf
The Bluffton University men's golf team lined up alongside talented Division II competition and local Division III powers at the Ohio Cup on Sept. ,. It was a full day of golf as the Beavers shot 344 and 329 for a 36-hole score of 673.
Freshman Evan Kujawa (Toledo/Whitmer) and junior Takoda Pratt (Mansfield/Shelby) battled for Bluffton supremacy with scores of 164 and 165, respectively.
Dominic Castelvetere (Ontario) and Nathan Eberle (Grove City) both chipped in with identical 173's, although through differing avenues. Castelvetere went 93-80, while Eberle finished with 85-88.
Men’s soccer
The Bluffton University men's soccer team took the pitch for a Friday afternoon matchup against D'Youville College from Buffalo, NY, on Sept. 6, The Beavers walked away with an intense 2-1 victory over the Spartans. Bluffton improved to 2-1 on the season while D'Youville dropped to 2-1.
D'Youville's Hunter Sherman netted the first goal of the game to give the Spartans an early 1-0 lead less than seven minute in. Bluffton freshman Brandon DeCoursey (Bruceville, IN/North Knox) answered back with a goal of his own to tie the match at 1-1 going into the half. After a silent start to the second frame, sophomore Dalton Taynor (Troy/Miami East) knocked in a shot, his fifth tally of the season, to give the Beavers a 2-1 lead thanks to a slick feed from freshman Elijah Grieser (Wauseon/Pettisville).
The Spartans finished with two more shots than the Beavers (20-18) and they forced four more corner kicks (5-1). D'Youville also racked up nine more fouls (16-7). Freshman keeper Tanner Newport (Hamilton, VA/Loudoun Valley) did his part with five saves.
The soccer team hit the pitch on a warm Saturday, Sept. 7, as they welcomed Shawnee State to the Dam. The Beavers dropped a tough 4-0 decision that places them at 2-2 on the season while the Bears improved to 3-2 on the season.
After a scoreless first half, Shawnee's Bruno Rovares netted a shot for the Bears to give them a 1-0 lead. Rovares knocked in another shot to give Shawnee a 2-0 lead and started a rally that resulted in three shots within five minutes and a visiting team victory.
Shawnee put the pressure on with 39 shots, while Bluffton managed just eleven attempts. The Bears forced three more corner kicks (7-4) while racked up two more fouls (13-11). Freshman keeper Tanner Newport (Hamilton, VA/Loudoun Valley) left the pitch with 14 saves for the home team.
The Beavers will be back in action at Batavia, for a 7 p.m. match against UC-Clermont on Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Women’s soccer
The Bluffton University women's soccer team secured their first victory of the season with a final score of 4-0 against Thiel College on Saturday, Sept. 7. The Beavers improved to 1-3 on the season while the Tomcats dropped to 1-2.
After a silent start to the match, freshman Shelby Case (Holland/Springfield Senior) netted the first goal to give Bluffton a 1-0 lead with just five minutes left in the opening half. The home team poured it on in the second frame with goals from Bailee Kingsley (Austintown Fitch), Maddie Huffman (Maineville/Little Miami) and Ally Richardson (Alger/Allen East) to secure the 4-0 shutout for the Beavers.
Bluffton piled up 30 shots during the match while Thiel only managed to put up six. The Beavers forced four more corner kicks (5-1) and they racked up six more fouls (13-7). Junior keeper Jules Frazier (Nova/Mapleton) walked away from the match with five saves.
Bluffton hits the road again on Thursday, Sept. 12, for a 7 p.m. match at IU-Kokomo.
Volleyball
The Bluffton University volleyball team battled Geneva College and Ohio Northern University on Saturday, Sept. 7, but came up just short at the Sommer Center Spiketacular.
Geneva held Bluffton off in four sets (25-19, 21-25, 28-26, 25-19), while the Polar Bears notched a 3-0 sweep (25-20, 25-15, 25-20)
Juniors Remi Bower (Deshler/Patrick Henry) and Sarah Heydinger (Tiro/Buckeye Central) did their damage at the net with 15 and 14 kills, respectively. Freshman Kaylie Campbell (Camden/Preble Shawnee) also got her feet wet with eight winners. Elle Price (Findlay) doled out 27 assists against Geneva College.
Freshman Courtney Weekley (Butler/Clear Fork) picked up a career-high 17 digs to pace the defense. Junior Jessica Lovell (Grove City) and sophomore Brooke Kleman (Glandorf/Ottawa-Glandorf) added 15 and 14 digs for good measure. Kleman fired two aces and Campbell was in on four blocks.
Sophomore Maddie White (Ashland) made a statement with 10 kills in the loss to Ohio Northern. Bower, who was named to the All-Tournament Team, also chipped in with eight spikes. Price finished with 20 assists, while Kleman picked up a team-high eight digs. Price and White were in on two blocks apiece.
Bluffton heads to College of Wooster for the Ginny Hunt Kilt Classic Friday, Sept. 13. The Beavers will open the weekend at 5:30 p.m. against Baldwin Wallace.
The Bluffton University volleyball team fell to a powerful Heidelberg squad in three sets (25-12, 25-20, 25-14) on Friday, Sept. 6. Heidelberg improved to 5-0, while Bluffton slipped to 1-4 following the opening night of the Sommer Center Spiketacular.
The Beavers led 7-5 in the lidlifter before Heidelberg cranked it up with seven straight points to take a commanding 12-7 lead. The Student Princes never looked back en route to the 25-12 win and ultimately a three-set victory.
Remi Bower (Deshler/Patrick Henry) led the attack with nine kills and three block assists. Fellow junior Sarah Heydinger chipped in with five winners and four digs.
Sophomore Maddie White (Ashland) handed out 11 helpers, while Brooke Kleman (Glandorf/Ottawa-Glandorf) picked up 11 digs to pace the defense. White and junior Chelsey Taylor (Hicksville) came up with nine and eight digs, respectively.
