Gallagher picking up speed at SIU

Lake County cross country fans surely remember the success Kelley Gallagher enjoyed while at Vernon Hills High School.

She was all-conference and all-sectional as a junior and advanced to the state meet as a senior.

Now, she is in her senior year at Southern Illinois University, and still enjoying success on the cross country trails.

In her season debut, Gallagher notched a first-place finish at the Saluki Invitational, clocking a 17:39.

That time was her career best and seven seconds faster than the course record she set in 2013.

For her efforts, Gallagher was honored by the Missouri Valley Conference as its Female Cross Country Athlete of the Week.

In high school, Gallagher was a letter winner in outdoor track, swimming and cross country becoming the first Vernon Hills High School athlete to qualify to the IHSA state meet in three sports.

Women's soccer

Texas Christian sophomore Michelle Prokof (Warren) had 2 assists in a 4-1 win over Southern Methodist.

DePaul freshman Alexa Ben (Schaumburg) and senior teammate Sarah Gorden (Elk Grove) played the setup role to perfection, with Ben assisting on 2 goals and Gorden assisting the team's final score for a 3-1 victory against Cincinnati at Wish Field. The Blue Demons' 8-0-1 start marks a record for the longest undefeated streak in the program's history.

Ben leads DePaul with 6 assists in her 9 games this season. Gorden's assist was the first of her collegiate career.

• Augustana sophomore midfielder Jessa Rizzo (Fremd) was the offensive "Player of the Week" in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.

Rizzo hit the game winner in victories over Dubuque and Principia.

She beat the clock when she lofted a goal over the outstretched arms of the Dubuque goalkeeper with just 8 seconds left in the second overtime for the 1-0 victory.

She scored the first goal of the game in the 3-0 win at Principia and added an assist and another goal.

Rizzo finished the week with 3 goals and an assist and she has a team-leading 6 goals with 2 assists for 14 total points. She also leads the Vikings in shots attempted with 33, of which 14 were on goal.

Augustana is currently 5-1.

Men's golf

Sophomore Eric Swanson (Vernon Hills) of the Augustana 'Blue' team was the fourth (and final) scorer with a 78 as the Vikings topped Monmouth in the Vike-Scot Shootout at Hawthorn Ridge Golf Course in Aledo. The Vikings fired a 299 to pick up a 299-318 win over the Fighting Scots.

Men's soccer

Augustana junior Anthony D'Angelo (Stevenson) leads the Vikings (6-3) with 3 goals this year. The Vikes have won four straight 5 of their 6 wins are on the road.

• Butler freshman starting midfielder Eric Leonard (Fremd) scored the first goal of his collegiate career in Butler's 2-1 overtime victory over visiting Evansville.

Leonard's goal came at the 26-minute mark on a fast break from 10 yards out. Leonard has started and played every minute of the last five games for the Bulldogs (4-2-3).

Women's volleyball

Augustana sophomore Nicole Morrissey (Lake Zurich) is averaging 1.69 kills with 83 in 49 games for the Vikings who 13-3 after going 2-2 in four matches at the University of Chicago's Gargoyle Classic.

• Wisconsin-Whitewater senior libero Kelsey Nobilio (Johnsburg) was the school's women's volleyball defensive player of the week.

Nobilio averaged 4.60 digs per set to lead the Warhawks defensively to 3 wins, posting double figure digs in each match totaling 46.

She registered 13 digs against Platteville in the conference opener, followed with 15 in a 3-0 win over previously unbeaten Oshkosh and rounded out the week with 18 in a 3-0 sweep of Wheaton.

Women's cross country

Illinois senior Colette Falsey (Schaumburg) finished third in the 5,000 meters in a personal best time of 17:37 in the Illinois State Invite. Illinois senior Britten Petrey (Schaumburg) finished 12th in a personal best 18:02 and Illinois sophomore Hanna Winter (St. Viator) was 14th in a personal-best 18:08, helping lead the Illini to first place.

• Notre Dame senior Karen Lesiewicz (Schaumburg) finished fourth in the 5,000 meters with a personal best time of 17:45 to help the Irish win the National Catholic Invite in South Bend.

• North Central senior Nora Ferguson (Schaumburg) finished fourth in the 5,000 meters with a personal best time of 18:36 at Olivet Nazarene.

• Augustana senior Becca Sund (Palatine) finished 16th as the Vikings placed fifth in the 35-team Brissman-Lundeen Cross Country Invitational at Saukie Golf Course. Sund covered Saukie's 6 kilometers in 22:48.6.

Men's cross country

Augustana junior Ethan Koch (Prospect) finished sixth in the 8,000 meters with a personal best time of 25:34 at Olivet Nazarene.

• Please email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com.