Strickland strikes high point at DePaul
Former Libertyville all-area soccer standout Tara Strickland can say she helped a DePaul teammate enjoy the “best game of her career.
That's what senior Lauren Pagone called it after her tying goal and winning goal led the Blue Demons to a 2-1, double-overtime victory over St. John's at Wish Field at Cacciatore Stadium.
The 5-foot-4 Pagone scored the tying goal on a header off a well-placed corner kick from Strickland.
On the winning goal, Strickland again found Pagone, who beat the Red Storm goalkeeper far post.
Strickland is a two-time member of the Big East All-Academic Team. She entered her senior season seventh in points all-time at DePaul with 33, eighth in goals (11) and tied for fourth in assists 11).
Strickland was named to the All-Big East second team as a junior, starting in all 21 matches and led the team in goals (7), assists (6) and points (20).
Women's volleyball
Southern Illinois senior Jennifer Berwanger (Lake Zurich) recorded the 50th double-double of her career with a match-high 23 kills and 17 digs as the Salukis
snapped a 23-match losing streak to Illinois State in Davies Gym Saturday night,
The Salukis won on their home court a commanding 3-1 victory, 28-26, 25-22, 25-27, 25-15.
The streak dates back to 1981 when the Salukis topped the Redbirds by the same 3-1 score.
Ÿ Senior setter Annie Fesl (Hersey) and senior outside hitter Stephanie Niemer of Cincinnati have developed into one of the most effective tandems in the history of Bearcat volleyball.
Niemer leads the Big East and ranks fourth in the nation averaging 5.29 kills per set, while Fesl is second in the conference and seventh in the country with 11.84 assists.
Their efficiency is a primary reason Cincinnati has climbed to No. 21 in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association's Top 25 and is tied atop the Big East standings with Notre Dame.
Fesl has been Cincinnati's starting setter since her rookie season and has led the Bearcats to an 86-33 overall record, a 37-9 record in conference play and a share of the 2008 regular-season Big East title. She is second in the Big East and seventh in the nation with 11.84 assists.
Ÿ Memphis senior Altrese Hawkins (Hoffman Estates) put down a match-best 16 kills in a three-game loss to Southern Methodist.
Feeder basketball
The Mundelein High School Feeder boys basketball tryouts are Sunday, Oct. 24 and Nov. 7 at Mundelein High School.
The tryouts are for fifth to eighth grade boys planning on attending Mundelein High School.
For more information, contact Rick Carlson: mhsfeeder@gmail.com; (224) 456-8041.
College football
Eastern Illinois senior Kevin Cook (Carmel) stands second among NCAA Football Championship Subdivision punters with a 44.3 average in 26 punts.
With a 42.4 career average, the Libertyville native is on pace to break Don Manzke's Eastern Illinois record of 40.4 set from 1979-1982.
The all-time NCCA FCS record is 44.8 set by Northern Arizona punter Mark Gould (2000-2004)
Cook set Eastern's single-season record as a freshman when he averaged 44.6 yards.
Men's cross countryNorth Central senior Michael Spain (Schaumburg) was selected as the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Cross Country Co-Runner of the Week.
Spain, a finance and economics major, won the individual championship in the Gold Division race at the Notre Dame Invitational. He claimed the 8,000-meter race in 24 minutes, 41 seconds, as North Central placed second to Eastern Michigan University. Spain shared the honor with Wheaton College sophomore Parker Thompson.
Spain, who is unbeaten in three races this season, has now won three CCIW Runner of the Week Awards.
Feeder tryouts
The Wheeling girls feeder basketball teams will conduct tryouts on Sunday, Oct. 17 for eighth graders from (2 to 3 p.m.), seventh graders (3 to 4 p.m.) and fourth through sixth graders (4 to 5 p.m.).
To be eligible for tryouts, girls must live in the Wheeling High School district. Players should bring a basketball and arrive 15 minutes early for registration.
For more information, call Bob Kuzmanic at 847-571-0812.
Men's soccer
Saint Xavier freshman goalkeeper Kyle Held (Palatine) continued his dominance in goal as he earned his third Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference #8220;Defensive Player of the Week award this season.
He stopped 14 shots on the week and recorded a shutout in a 0-0 tie against Calumet College of St. Joseph (Ind.). Held had 7 saves for his third shutout of the year in the week's first game against Calumet. In Saint Xavier's biggest win of the season, Held posted seven stops in the 2-1 upset of No. 16 Judson University. Held has 53 saves on the year and conference leading 0.75 goals-against average (GAA) and leads with an .883 save percentage.
#376; Northern Illinois junior Tim King (Conant) scored the winning goal on a header four minutes into overtime against Wisconsin.
It was King's fourth career goal, despite playing center defensive back for Northern.
King is the only NIU player who started all 19 games in 2009 and has started 34 out of the last 35 games for the Huskies.
Coaching assignment
Bill Murmann, who coached St. Viator to its first girls basketball regional championship in school history in 2002, and was the former Schaumburg girls head coach, has joined the Bartlett girls basketball program.
Murmann will be an assistant on coach Denise Sarna's staff, working on the lower levels and helping out with other things as well.
#376; Please e-mail Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com or fax to (847) 427-1173.