The Spartan Club, comprised of Case Institute of Technology (CIT), Western Reserve University (WRU) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) alumni, parents of current students, faculty and staff, and friends of the University, is aimed at helping foster and honor the proud tradition of athletics at the University, while also supporting the current student-athletes. For more information on the Spartan Club, and to help support its purpose by becoming a member, CLICK HERE.
Case Western Reserve University junior Gage Duesler, a running back on the football team, and junior Gabriella Chambers, a swimmer on the women's swimming and diving team, have been named the Spartan Club Athletes of the Week for their performances this past week.
Duesler had a career day for the Spartans during the team's 35-0 win over Waynesburg on Saturday. He finished the game with a career-high 131 yards on just 10 carries and matched his career-high with a pair of rushing touchdowns. Duesler opened the scoring for the Spartans with a 37-yard touchdown run with 4:24 left in the first quarter that put CWRU in front 7-0. On the first play from scrimmage in the second half, he ran for a career-long 63-yard touchdown, matching the longest offensive play of the season for CWRU. Duesler leads all Spartans with 405 rushing yards this season and has scored three touchdowns on the ground, while adding six receptions for 43 yards and a pair of scores. The Spartans have won five-straight games to improve to 6-1 overall on the season.
The Spartans will now turn their attention toward their final three games of the season, during which the team will face two of the other top squads in the PAC. CWRU will begin the stretch next weekend, traveling to Washington, Pennsylvania on Saturday, October 28 for a 6:05 p.m. kickoff against Washington and Jefferson College.
Chambers placed first in four events for the 14th-ranked Spartans in the team's 272-22 win over Ohio Wesleyan University on Saturday at the Meek Center in Delaware, Ohio. Individually, Chambers won the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle events, completing the shorter race in 24.86 seconds and the longer race in 53.80 seconds. She also won a pair of relays, teaming with junior Erica Rice, first-year Lillian Paley, and sophomore Claire Kozma to claim the 200 Medley Relay in 1:51.75 and combining with Kozma and juniors Adriana Kamor and Kelly Vann to take the 200 Free Relay in 1:40.17. CWRU improved to 1-0 in dual meets with the victory.
The Spartans will host Carnegie Mellon on Saturday, October 28 at the Veale Natatorium for the first home dual of the season. The Tartan men's team is ranked 10th in Division III, and the CMU women's team is ranked 12th. Action is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
The Spartan Club Athletes of the Week are selected by the CWRU Department of Athletics each Monday, based on their performance during the previous week of competition.
Honorable Mentions:
Sophomore Mason Bencurik (men's swimming and diving) placed first in four events for the 23rd-ranked Spartans in the team's 253-27 win over Ohio Wesleyan University on Saturday at the Meek Center in Delaware, Ohio. As an individual, Bencurik touched the wall first in a pair of sprint free events, emerging victorious in the 50 Free in 21.86 seconds and 100 Free in 48.40 seconds. He was also a member of two winning relays, placing first in the 200 Medley Relay with sophomore William Froass and juniors Jiro Batt and Ben Zuo in 1:37.34 and taking the 200 Free Relay in 1:26.68 with Froass, Zuo, and sophomore John Drumm. The Spartans improved to 1-0 in dual meets following the win.
Senior defensive end AJ Dudowski (football) helped lead the Spartan defense to its third shutout of the season in a 35-0 win over Waynesburg on Saturday. Dudowski finished the game with four tackles (two solo), including one sack, two-and-a-half tackles for loss, and one quarterback hurry. His effort helped Case Western Reserve's defense tie the program record for shutouts in a campaign (originally set in 1986) and hold Waynesburg to just 187 yards of total offense, including just 56 rushing yards. Dudowski has 34 total tackles this season, including seven for a loss and three sacks, and three quarterback hurries.
Sophomore middle blocker Kiya Levy (volleyball) averaged 2.67 blocks per set for the Spartans at the third University Athletic Association round robin in Waltham, Massachusetts, on Sunday. Across two matches, she totaled eight blocks, recording four in each contest. Levy also recorded three kills in a 3-0 loss to Chicago. This season, she averages 1.80 kills and 0.90 blocks per set. The Spartans fell to 17-7 and 3-4 in the UAA following the two losses.
Case Western Reserve will return home on Saturday for Senior Night, facing Otterbein University at 5 p.m. inside Horsburgh Gymnasium. The team will celebrate its six graduating members with a special ceremony prior to the match.
Junior outside hitter Rea Marfatia (volleyball) led the Spartan offensive attack at the third University Athletic Association round robin in Waltham, Massachusetts, on Sunday. She recorded 17 kills in two matches, averaging 2.83 per set. She also was second on the team with 16 digs (2.67 per set) and tied for the team lead with eight total blocks (1.33 per set). This season Marfatia averages 2.71 kills and 2.87 digs per set.
Sophomore forward Molly Shamah (women's soccer) scored her second goal of the season in the sixth-ranked Spartans' 1-1 tie with Chicago on Friday night at DiSanto Field in Cleveland. She put CWRU ahead in the 22nd minute with a set piece goal. A corner kick by senior forward Aniya Hartzler bounced off a couple players before reaching the feet of sophomore forward Maggie Farra. A shot by Farra close to the goal was saved by Chicago, but Shamah collected the rebound and delivered the ball into the bottom corner of the net. This season, Shamah has two goals and one assist, appearing in all 14 of the team's contests. The Spartans fell to 10-1-3 and 2-1-2 in the UAA following a loss on Sunday to WashU.
The Spartans will look to rebound on Saturday when the team travels to Waltham, Massachusetts, to face Brandeis at 11 a.m.
Junior Alex Waltman (men's swimming and diving) swept the diving events for the 23rd-ranked Spartans in the team's 253-27 win over Ohio Wesleyan University. He won the 1-meter dive with a score of 232.75 points and the 3-meter dive with a score of 225.70 points.
Sophomore goalkeeper Bradley Winter (men's soccer) allowed just one goal across two matches for the Spartans during the team's 0-1-1 weekend. Winter earned his seventh shutout of the season in the team's scoreless draw with 24th-ranked Chicago on Friday night, recording three saves in 90 minutes. His seven shutouts are one shy of the single-season program record set by Charlie Fink in 2018. In the team's 1-0 loss to WashU on Sunday afternoon, Winter saved two shots. This season, he has allowed just six scores for a goals against average of 0.47 and a save percentage of 0.842. The Spartans dropped to 7-3-3 and 1-2-2 in the UAA following the loss on Sunday.
The Spartans will look to rebound on Saturday when the team travels to Waltham, Massachusetts, to face Brandeis at 1:30 p.m.
2023-24 Spartan Club Athletes of the Week:
Sept. 5: Jacob Salmon (men's soccer) & Alyssa Blessinger (volleyball)
Sept. 11: Matt Vatne (men's soccer) & Jennifer Ngo (volleyball)
Sept. 18: Aidan Nathan (men's cross country) & Ceci Dapino (women's soccer)
Sept. 25: Alex Fromberg (football) & Hannah Kassaie (women's tennis)
Oct. 2: Lauren Iagnemma (women's cross country), Vishwa Aduru & Diego Maza (men's tennis)
Oct. 9: Kaden Tong (football) & Jamie Goldfarb (women's soccer)
Oct. 16: Henry Busch (football) & Rea Marfatia (volleyball)
Oct. 23: Gage Duesler (football) & Gabriella Chambers (women's swimming and diving)
