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Kent State Defeats Akron in Third Consecutive Wagon Wheel Challenge
5/19/2014 4:20:00 PM | General
KENT, Ohio – After a dominating 19-0 baseball victory at Schoonover Stadium on Saturday night, Kent State University captured its third straight PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge. The Golden Flashes defeated Akron 8.5-6.5, and have won the challenge since its inception in 2011-12.
The Wagon Wheel Challenge is based on a time-honored competition for a historical wooden wagon wheel trophy awarded originally in 1945 to the winner of the annual Akron-Kent State football game. In 2011-12, the PNC-sponsored rivalry expanded the competition to include 14 NCAA varsity sports, with victories in each sport adding one point to the challenge standings.
Sports that featured head-to-head competitions between the two school battled for points during the regular season, while higher finishes in eight conference championships determined the points winner for golf, track and field and cross country.
Kent State held a 2-0 lead in mid-October after defeating Akron in both volleyball and women's soccer. However, Akron came back strong to pick up a victory in football and best Kent State in men's and women's cross country during the MAC Championship for a 3-2 advantage.
The Akron women's basketball team secured a full point after defeating the Golden Flashes twice, while the men's team split to each earn a half a point to keep the lead in Akron's hands at 4-2.5. Kent State's women's indoor track & field championship earned the Flashes' one point, but Akron edged the men to keep a 5-3.5 lead.
Kent State once again dominated in the spring, collecting points in men's golf, women's golf, softball, baseball and women's outdoor track & field to shoot ahead, 8.5-5.5. Akron secured its final point in men's outdoor track & field.
The Wagon Wheel Challenge is based on a time-honored competition for a historical wooden wagon wheel trophy awarded originally in 1945 to the winner of the annual Akron-Kent State football game. In 2011-12, the PNC-sponsored rivalry expanded the competition to include 14 NCAA varsity sports, with victories in each sport adding one point to the challenge standings.
Sports that featured head-to-head competitions between the two school battled for points during the regular season, while higher finishes in eight conference championships determined the points winner for golf, track and field and cross country.
Kent State held a 2-0 lead in mid-October after defeating Akron in both volleyball and women's soccer. However, Akron came back strong to pick up a victory in football and best Kent State in men's and women's cross country during the MAC Championship for a 3-2 advantage.
The Akron women's basketball team secured a full point after defeating the Golden Flashes twice, while the men's team split to each earn a half a point to keep the lead in Akron's hands at 4-2.5. Kent State's women's indoor track & field championship earned the Flashes' one point, but Akron edged the men to keep a 5-3.5 lead.
Kent State once again dominated in the spring, collecting points in men's golf, women's golf, softball, baseball and women's outdoor track & field to shoot ahead, 8.5-5.5. Akron secured its final point in men's outdoor track & field.
| 2014 WAGON WHEEL CHALLENGE | ||
|---|---|---|
| KENT STATE | SPORT | UNIVERSITY OF AKRON |
| Men's Outdoor Track & Field | 1 | |
| 1 | Women's Outdoor Track & Field | |
| 1 | Baseball | |
| 1 | Softball | |
| 1 | Men's Golf | |
| 1 | Women's Golf | |
| .5 | Men's Basketball | .5 |
| Women's Basketball | 1 | |
| Men's Indoor Track & Field | 1 | |
| 1 | Women's Indoor Track & Field | |
| Men's Cross Country | 1 | |
| Women's Cross Country | 1 | |
| 1 | Volleyball | |
| 1 | Women's Soccer | |
| Football | 1 | |
| 8.5 | TOTAL | 6.5 |
Monday, September 07
Monday, September 07
Saturday, September 05
Friday, September 04
