GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The University of Northwestern Ohio women’s soccer team improved to 4-2 overall and in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference with a 2-0 victory Saturday against Cornerstone.
Ariana Mondiri had a goal and an assist. Yuna Akiyama had a goal and Lisa Luiken contributed an assist. Ilke Brandsma made two saves to earn the shutout in goal.
Transylvania 2,
Bluffton 1
BLUFFTON — The Beavers were unable to make their 1-0 lead hold up as the Pioneers scored twice late in the second half. Bluffton slipped to 0-5-1 on the season and 0-4-1 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Maddie Huffman drilled a free kick from just outside the box for Bluffton’s goal.
Men’s soccer
Transylvania 4,
Bluffton 1
BLUFFTON — Despite a 1-0 lead at halftime, the Beavers were unable to hold off the Pioneers. With the loss, Bluffton fell to 1-4-1 overall and 1-4-1 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
Bluffton’s goal was scored by Maxwell Kennedy following a Christian Parker cross.
Baseball
ONU drops 2
to Marietta
ADA — Ohio Northern opened the Ohio Athletic Conference portion of its 2021 schedule with a pair of losses to No. 15 Marietta at Wander Field.
The Polar Bears fell to 1-5 overall, while the Pioneers improve to 6-0, 2-0 OAC.
MC won the opener 13-1 and took the second game 10-1.
Junior Andy Mills went 4-for-7 with an RBI from his leadoff position to lead the Ohio Northern offense.
In Game 1, sophomore Nate Webb hit his first career home run to account for ONU’s run.
Softball
Ohio Northern
splits doubleheader
MARIETTA — Senior Gabby Stewart, a St. Henry graduate, hit a 2-run home run and sophomore Stacey Walters threw a 2-hit shutout to lead Ohio Northern to a double header split at Marietta Field.
The Polar Bears (3-4-1 overall, 2-4 Ohio Athletic Conference) won the opener 9-0 and the Pioneers (1-5, 1-5) took the second game 5-0.
In the opener, Stewart hit a 2-run home run and added a sacrifice fly for a 3-RBI game for ONU.
Walters struck out six to post her first career shutout.
Junior Rachel Hish and sophomore Sydney Motylinski had two hits each for ONU in the opener.
In game two, sophomore Annika Murray had two hits for ONU.
Bluffton swept
ADRIAN, Mich. – The Bluffton University softball team left its offense in Indiana as the Beavers were on the receiving end of a pair of shutouts at Adrian College on Saturday, March 20, 2021. Bluffton fell to 2-6, while the Bulldogs improved to 5-3 on the season.
A Texas leaguer by Bobbi Adams (Delaware/Rutherford B. Hayes) in the lidlifter and an infield single by freshman Lexus Rutledge (Henderson, KY/Henderson County) in the capper were the only hits the Beavers could scratch out on Saturday after putting up 23 runs in 12 innings at Manchester University on Tuesday night.
Junior Grace Fillinger (Hinckley/Highland) took the loss in game one after allowing five runs on eight hits in six innings of work. Senior Katie McCord (Lawrenceburg, Ind./Lawrenceburg) fell to 0-2 after surrendering seven runs on 10 hits in just three innings in game two. Sophomore Erin Norman (Pleasant Hill/Newton) tossed three shutout innings with four strikeouts in relief of McCord.
Bluffton will jump right back on the horse tomorrow (Sunday, March 21) when the Beavers return to Michigan for a double-dipper at Albion College. Game one is slated for 1 p.m.
Football
Hanover 51, Bluffton 44
HANOVER, Ind. — The Bluffton University football team battled HCAC pre-season favorite Hanover College for 60 minutes on Saturday, coming up just short as the Panthers scored with 15 ticks remaining for a victory against the Beavers. Bluffton dropped it first game of the year (3-1, 2-1 HCAC), while Hanover improved to 2-0 (2-0 HCAC).
A pair of first quarter touchdowns for the home team had Hanover up 14-0 before Zachary Nobis connected with tight end Drew Mace on the first play of quarter two to make it 14-7. Down 21-7 late in the first half, workhorse Darian Greeley punched it in from one yard out, but the extra point attempt went awry and Hanover took it the other way for two points, making it 23-13 with 52 seconds on the clock.
A Hanover fumble with 21 seconds left gave Bluffton the ball at the visitor 36-yard line. Nobis hit Jeremy Locklear for a pair of first downs before finding Deonta Hall with a 39-yard scoring strike as Bluffton pulled within 23-20 at the break.
Freshman Daniel Blanford from Delphos drilled a 35-yard field goal and Laurenz Johnson hauled in a 30-yard touchdown reception from Nobis in the third stanza, but Hanover hit paydirt three times in the quarter as the home team opened a 44-30 lead heading to the final 15 minutes.
Bluffton cut the deficit in half with seven minutes to play when Maalik Tucker found the end zone from six yards out. A 29-yard Nobis run had the Beavers all square with 4:44 to play as Bluffton fought back to make it a new game. A three and out deep in Hanover territory gave the Beavers great field possession at the home 40 with 3:29 on the clock.
Hanover’s defense returned the favor and forced a quick punt that gave the Panthers possession at their own 9-yard line. They marched down the field and went up 51-44 when quarterback Matthew Weimer capped off the 12-play, 91-yard drive with a 1-yard run.
Nobis completed 21-of-43 passes for 357 yards with three touchdowns and no picks. He also churned out 89 yards on the ground. Greeley went for 59 yards and a TD on 17 carries. Plummie Gardner (Perry) caught three balls for 90 yards, while Johnson’s four catches netted 66 yards and a score. Hall finished with 61 yards receiving with the 39-yard touchdown.
Brady Hauenstein (Columbus Grove) led the defense with 14 stops on Saturday. Senior Stephan Kosakowski paced the secondary with nine solo stops and he forced a fumble to go along with his TFL. Freshmen Montez Archer Jr. and sophomore Martez Nabors chipped in with seven tackles apiece. Archer returned six kickoffs for 190 yards, including a 78-yarder at the end of the first quarter that set up Bluffton’s first touchdown.
Hanover (549) and Bluffton (511) combined for 1,060 yards of total offense. The Panthers put up 393 on the ground, while the Beavers went for 357 through the air. The home team was 7-of-14 on third down opportunities, compared to 5-of-14 for the Beavers. Hanover converted touchdowns on all five of its red zone chances.
Bluffton will welcome Franklin College to Alumni Field on Saturday, March 27. Kickoff in Salzman Stadium is slated for 1:30 p.m.
Men’s lacrosse
Baldwin Wallace 10,
Ohio Northern 7
ADA — Senior Cameron Marous scored a goal and added three assists to lead the Ohio Northern at Dial-Roberson Stadium.
The Polar Bears fall to 3-2 overall and are 2-1 in OAC action, while the Yellow Jackets improve to 5-0, 3-0 in the OAC.
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