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SPORTS
Editor JM RIEGER
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2012 TOM DOWNEY WHAT’S GOING DOWNEY
giving CREDIT WHERE it is due
sports@miamistudent.net
HOCKEY
’Hawks, Dogs split series By Joe Gieringer Staff Writer
With a simple 13-yard pass to wide out Nick Harwell, redshirt senior quarterback Zac Dysert passed Ben Roethlisberger as Miami University’s all-time passing leader Saturday. It was a routine pass that Dysert has likely completed thousands of times in practice and in games, yet it etched his name into the record book. Dysert is just three yards shy of 11,000 career passing yards, an incredible accomplishment. Dysert is 41st on the NCAA’s all-time passing list, ahead of names like Eli Manning, Drew Brees and now Roethlisberger. He is third all-time on the MidAmerican Conference list. Dysert has been through more than most quarterbacks at this point in their careers. He’s dealt with multiple coaches and a new offensive coordinator nearly every year. He even suffered a lacerated spleen during his sophomore year. After that injury, he had to win his job back in a battle with redshirt junior quarterback Austin Boucher. Despite all of that, he will still go down as one of Miami’s greatest players. The most admirable part of Dysert is not his physical skill, as talented as he is, but his leadership and his humbleness. Dysert will always give credit to the rest of team first. The number of times he has praised his offensive lineman are too many to count. He conducts himself the right way and never comes off as arrogant. Dysert is the epitome of a leader. To be frank, Dysert acts like the record does not mean that much to him, as least not right now.
After the disappointing loss to Buffalo, Dysert was not happy in the press conference. He looked disappointed, even knowing he got the record. As Head Coach Don Treadwell said, Dysert would trade the record for a win any day. Dysert has said many times the record is something that will probably mean more to him down the road. Right now, he just wants to win. It is great to see that out of a star quarterback, as too often some players get caught up in being the big man on campus. Yet Dysert is just about as down to earth as they come. Dysert said the week before the Buffalo game that he didn’t know how close he was to breaking Roethlisberger’s record. He didn’t know he needed just 75 yards. He isn’t interested in personal records. He thinks if the team does well, the individual stuff will come, not the other way around. Given the way some athletes act, it is refreshing to see Dysert handle himself the way he does. Dysert has all the tools to be a very good NFL quarterback. He has prototypical size, solid arm strength and very good accuracy. He also shows an NFL caliber ability to read defenses and make the correct read. His ability to escape the pocket is eerily reminiscent of the player whose record he just broke. Given the way Dysert conducts himself on and off the field, it would be surprising to see him fall any lower than that. Miami’s all-time passing record could not have gone to better player and person.
The fourth-ranked Miami University men’s hockey team (5-2-1) continued in-conference play over the weekend against Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) foe No. 18 Ferris State University (FSU), splitting the series. Freshman forward Riley Barber was named National Rookie of the Month by the Hockey Commissioners’ Association (HCA) Saturday, making him the first RedHawk since Andy Miele to receive HCA honors. The Bulldogs (3-3-2) came out strong Friday as defenseman Brandon Anselmini opened up the scoring halfway through the first period on the power play, beating freshman goalie Jay Williams with a snipe from the blue line. Miami rebounded and created scoring chances late in the first and into the second frame, but the RedHawks had trouble finding the back of the net thanks in large part to the play of Ferris goaltender CJ Motte, who finished the night with 25 saves and a shutout. FSU finished out the game scoring twice in the span of four minutes, including another power play (PP) tally. The Bulldogs came into the game with the most efficient PP in the league, converting 40 percent of their man-up chances. Miami was outshot 31-25 overall and 14-6 in the first period alone. “Friday we just didn’t come to play really, we didn’t win the battles one-on-one,” sophomore forward Austin Czarnik said. “We had no flow whatsoever. But Saturday we came out with a new mindset.” The RedHawks looked refreshed Saturday night and came out swinging early. Senior forward Curtis McKenzie was tripped up on a breakaway chance just two minutes into the game and was awarded a penalty shot. Though he could not
FOOTBALL
LAUREN OLSON THE MIAMI STUDENT
Miami University freshman forward Austin Czarnik celebrates with teammates during Miami’s shootout win over Providence College, Oct. 23. net an early goal, freshman forward Kevin Morris stuffed the puck in on a rebound attempt later in the period to put Miami on the board first. That lead did not last long however, as Ferris State’s leading assist-getter Jason Binkley upped his year’s total to six on a pass to sophomore Justin Buzzeo, who redirected the puck past Williams to tie the game at one. As the second period rolled on, Miami’s freshman class stepped up
yet again when forward Sean Kuraly scored on the power play to give the ’Hawks the lead. Classmate Matthew Caito earned the assist on the play, giving the son of Miami alltime leading goal scorer Rick Kuraly his first collegiate goal. “I was lucky that it was sitting right there, so I put it in the back of
HOCKEY, SEE PAGE 5
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Dysert sets record, Miami falls to Bulls RedHawks slay Dragons, prep for season opener By Tom Downey Senior Staff Writer
Despite becoming Miami’s alltime passing leader Saturday, redshirt senior quarterback Zac Dysert and the Miami University football team (4-5) fell to the University at Buffalo Bulls (2-7) 27-24 on a field goal as time expired. Dysert passed Ben Roethlisberger in the third quarter as the school’s leader in passing yards. Dysert now
“You got to work through that and the good thing is we still have a few games to play.” The Bulls were led offensively by a strong performance from redshirt junior running back Braden Oliver. He picked up 199 yards and one score on 32 rushes. It is the most rushing yards to a single player the ’Hawks have given up since 2008. “I feel that was an average performance for us,” sophomore safety Brison Burris said. “I think we are a
I feel that was an average performance for us. I think we are a better defense than what we showed out there” Brison burris
SOPHOMORE SAFETY
has 10,997 yards in his career, ranking 41st all-time and sixth in the MidAmerican Conference (MAC). “Right now it doesn’t feel like much,” Dysert said. “But like we talked about earlier in the week, it is something that I will admire a little bit more down the road.” Dysert drove the RedHawks on an impressive 16-play, 75-yard drive to tie the game at 24 with just 23 seconds remaining. The Red and White converted two fourth downs, including a fourth and 20 at the Buffalo 27 on the drive. However, Buffalo freshman running back Devin Campbell returned a squib kick 47 yards to the Miami 35, setting up the game winning 45yard field goal by sophomore kicker Patrick Clarke. “That’s part of the game of football and part of the game of life,” Head Coach Don Treadwell said.
better defense than what we showed out there.” Dysert was 25-44 for 242 yards and three touchdowns. He also led the RedHawks in rushing, picking up 42 yards on 13 carries. Junior wide receiver Nick Harwell had an impressive game for the Red and White, scoring all three of Miami’s touchdowns. Harwell caught 10 balls for 62 yards. Harwell is now third all-time in receiving yards and fourth in receiving touchdowns in school history. Brison Burris was a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball, picking off his second career pass and recovering his first career fumble. “That was a little gift,” Burris said of the fumble that bounced right into his arms. “A little early Christmas gift.” Junior linebacker Chris Wade continued his breakout season with a
game-high 13 tackles. It is the eighth straight game Wade has had double digit tackles. Wade now has 99 tackles on the season. The RedHawks took the lead first on freshman kicker Kaleb Patterson’s 29-yard field goal, but that was the only lead they would have. Buffalo’s Clarke made a 49-yarder to tie the game in the second quarter for the only other scoring in the first half. “I don’t think anyone would have predicted a 3-3 halftime, but you’ll take that,” Treadwell said. “That still puts you in even situation.” The Bulls took the lead on an Oliver touchdown early in the second half, but the RedHawks responded on a scoring drive where Dysert broke Roethlisberger’s record. Miami had a chance to take a lead with the score knotted up at 17, but senior wide receiver Andy Cruse fumbled to give Buffalo great field position. Cruse finished the game with six catches for a game high 87 yards. “We didn’t make enough plays early,” Dysert said. “They made plays at the end and we couldn’t match them.” Buffalo took a 24-17 lead on a drive where a botched field goal snap resulted in a desperation pass completed for a first down. Dysert tied the game later, but the great kick return allowed the Bulls to pull the upset with the game winning field goal. “I’m very upset about the game,” Burris said. “We should have stopped [Campbell] way back there. It was very disappointing.” The RedHawks return to action against MAC East leader Kent State University 1 p.m. Saturday at Yager Stadium.
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By Kennan Belau For The Miami Student
The Miami University women’s basketball team opened the 201213 season with an 80-70 win over the Tiffin University Dragons in the team’s only exhibition contest of the season. The RedHawks started the game on a 7-0 run, but Tiffin responded with several three-pointers to draw within one at 19-18 with 11:22 remaining in the first half. “It’s good to get the jitters out,” Head Coach Maria Fantanarosa said. “Our upperclassmen were hesitant with their new roles and responsibilities.” A mix of youth and experience carried the RedHawks in the first half, as senior guard Courtney Osborn and freshman forward Jessica Rupright scored 23 of Miami’s 44 first half points. Miami finished the first half on a 15-4 run over the last 5:10 after Tiffin tied the game at 29, keyed by three layups from Rupright. “It felt great to finally be at this level,” Rupright said. “I’ve been working hard and have great senior leaders helping me with the transition.” The freshman class for Miami continued its strong contributions early in the second half, as freshman forward Hannah McCue and
freshman guard Maddie McCallie helped increase Miami’s lead to 53-40 at the 16:30 mark of the second half. “Our freshman class is extremely talented,” Osborn said. “We have a lot of people who can score and step up.” But the RedHawks showed some inconsistency and defensive weakness over the next eight minutes, as the Dragons went on a 24-4 run to take a 64-57 lead. “The bad from this game definitely was the defense and rebounding,” Fantanarosa said. “With two ball-pressuring, quick guards out, we’re asking our forwards to guard guards, and they’re not used to that.” Miami showed resiliency though, going on a 12-0 run of its own. Rupright and senior forward Kirsten Olowinski started the run, then Osborn tied the game by converting a three-point play after a steal at midcourt. She then found junior guard Haley Robertson for a layup on one of her 13 assists, and converted another three-point play to put the RedHawks up 69-64 at the 5:41 mark. “When we were down seven, we knew that it was all going to start on the defensive end and we had to
BASKETBALL, SEE PAGE 5
MAC Standings
FOOTBALL EAST Kent State Ohio Bowling Green Miami Buffalo UMass Akron
WEST 5-0 4-1 4-1 3-2 1-4 0-5 0-6
Nothern Illinois Toldeo Ball State Western Michigan Central Michigan Eastern Michigan
6-0 5-3 3-2 2-4 1-4 0-4