Pink Out occurred on Saturday 10/25, and 7 teams were in attendance. All 4 regions were present in Akron, making for a day filled with surprising results, crazy plays, and emerging storylines.
Ohio State came into Pink Out looking to dominate. The Bucks started out hot, steamrolling through Kent State 6-1, in large part through a strong performance from Will Dalton, who dominated his side of the court. The Bucks followed that up with a similar scoreline against Akron, but it was not nearly as stress-free. OSU found themselves facing 7 Zips with only 2 men remaining only up a single point in the second half. A humongous catch by Will Bryan turned the momentum around, and a 2 vs 5 clutch by Braylen Jarvis and Jakob Puritz closed out the comeback, giving the Buckeyes a 3-1 lead, which they would turn into a victory. In their last game against Grand Valley, Ohio State came out boiling hot, winning 2 points in decisive fashion. From that point on, the Buckeyes failed to win a single point, eventually falling 3-2 in overtime. Whether it was intensity or strategy that was lacking, the Buckeyes will need to figure out how to play like they did in the first two and a half matches rather than the last half against GV if they want to beat the league’s best teams.
Kent State came in the season with as high of expectations as the program has had in recent memory. These expectations have not become a reality yet, as Kent had a disappointing day in Akron. Losses to Ohio State and Grand Valley are nothing to be devastated about, but a 6-1 scoreline in both games is eye-opening. Blowout wins against Maryland and Akron B will make the days results look a little more pleasant, but a disappointing Saturday regardless for the Flashes. Saying there is still hope in Kent might be an understatement, as the Golden Flashes have about as much talent as any team in the league, headlined by a menacing corner featuring Evan Harbison and Emmanuel Miller, as well as #11 All-American JJ Oldenburg in the middle of the court. The talent is there, but Kent State needs to be sharper than they have been so far this season.
Before WAR last spring, Akron hadn’t lost a home game in years. That’s why even with most of their talent from last year gone, a 1-3 record at Pink Out is still shocking for the Zips. Akron started the day strong with a 5-3 victory over a feisty Maryland team and kept it close against two of leagues premier teams in OSU and GVSU. Both of those matches came down to depth, as Akron’s lack of experienced players again hurt them. Akron’s strategy is still amongst the strongest in the league, which allows them to stay in games against more talented teams. The last result of the day really jumps off of the page, as Akron lost 3-2 in overtime against Northern Kentucky. While NKU has been improving at a remarkable rate, seeing last years ODC champs lose to a team who didn’t make the nationals bracket is eye-opening. Whether it was focus or just poor play that hurt the Zips, that’s a warning sign that improvements need to be made in Akron.
Grand Valley came to Akron with a schedule consisting of the three hardest matches they could have. They left Akron with a 3-0 record, and the league asking if NCDA’s most historically successful program was back. Grand Valley’s 6-1 win over Kent State set the tone for the day, and in a 3-2 victory against both Akron and Ohio State, GVSU found a way to win. Their experience and smart play are what allows GV to grind out points against top teams, which is exactly what they did against the Buckeyes. Add in some incredible catchers such as Michael Budai, Alex Welscott & Ryan Paddock, and this a team that no one wants to play. Grand Valley was the sharpest team in Akron on Saturday despite the long travel, and it propelled them to a perfect day.
The University of Northern Kentucky continues to get better at dodgeball every month. Coach Wes Peters has done a remarkable job getting the Norse up to speed with high-level dodgeball. A 6-1 loss to Bowling Green isn’t the best result, but a blowout win over Akron B and a 3-2 win in overtime against Akron had NKU incredibly happy with their Saturday. Braylon Patton and Will Strong are the leaders of this team, and ball out every time they put the jersey on. NKU has also been getting more consistent play from the rest of their roster, which is a great sign for the future. Expect the Vikings to be in play for the nationals bracket come April, as well as be favorite for the Southern Dodgeball Cup next semester.
Maryland made the trip outside the eastern region for the first time this season and played three matches against Ohio schools. While the 0-3 record isn’t beautiful, Maryland kept it close against Bowling Green and Akron and showed they have the talent to hang with teams outside the east. Adam Butz and Daniel Rodriguez in particular are two well-rounded players that were consistently making big plays throughout the day, especially with their timely catching. Both of them deserve to be on All-American lists later this year and expect the rest of this team to only get better as the year progresses. Maryland only brought 12 players to this tournament, and with scorelines such as 5-4 and 5-3, this team gained a tremendous amount of experience at Pink Out. This team has the talent.
Bowling Green traveled to Akron for their third tournament of the year, and they showed up to say the least. BGSU left Akron with a 3-0 record, boasting wins over Maryland, Northern Kentucky, and Akron B. Although this isn’t the same top-notch level of competition that BG is used to, this was a massive step in the right direction for their program. Gavin Gillard’s leadership is starting to truly show as we are seeing their younger players develop quickly. Gillard also led their team in kills and was within their top five catchers. Another standout player for the Falcons was Jack Price. Price was second on their team in kills and led the squad in catches. Bowling Green has all the moment on their side heading into their next tournament in Athens, and we will see if they can capitalize.