Big start for Mundelein's Busscher at Webster
Natalie Busscher is off and rolling in her sophomore season for the Webster University women's basketball team.
The Mundelein High School graduate is the first player of the week in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season.
Busscher, a sophomore forward, sparked the Gorloks to a pair of wins in Webster's Cavallo Tip-Off Classic.
She came off the bench and made an immediate impact in each game.
Busscher scored 10 points in just 13 minutes in an 85-70 win over Rust College.
She followed that effort by scoring 20 points in just 17 minutes in a 79-47 win over Dominican University.
For the week, Busscher averaged 15.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 67 percent from the field. She was named Most Valuable Player of the Cavallo Tip-Off Classic.
Men's soccer
Carmel graduate Evan Potter was part of one the finest seasons in the University of St. Thomas's men's soccer program.
He was a starting outside defender for the Tommies, who finished No. 3 out of 410 teams in Division III men's soccer.
The Tommie men closed 21-2-3 on the season after a 2-1 loss to eventual champion Tufts at the Final Four in Salem, Va.
St. Thomas' goal was the only one allowed by Tufts during its 6-0 run through the national tournament.
Potter, an all-sectional player at Carmel, had 2 shots on the goal in that final loss.
St. Thomas reached the NCAA playoffs for the first time in 21 seasons and won the Tommies' first NCAA playoff game in 26 seasons.
Men's basketball
Denison junior forward Johnny Vernasco (Libertyville) had a putback off his own offensive rebound with 2:18 left which gave DU a 67-56 lead in its 72-69 win over Oberlin.
No. 25 Denison (7-0) overcame 18 turnovers and a 3-of-14 performance from 3-point range. The Big Red scored 42 of their 69 points in the paint while outrebounding the Yeomen 41-21.
Women's hockey
Elmira College Sophomore Kristin Chivers of Antioch recorded her fourth assist in a 2-0 victory over Trinity College as the two teams met for the first time in a regular season matchup. Chivers also has 1 goal this season for the Soaring Eagles, who are 7-0-1.
Men's basketball
Carthage junior forward Brad Kruse (Lake Zurich) contributed 11 points in the Red Men's 85-75 upset of College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin rival North Central College, which was ranked No. 9 in the nation.
"Road conference wins are worth a lot," said coach Bosko Djurickovic on the school's website. "North Central is a team that was the preseason top five or top ten team and our guys executed the game plan nicely."
EXAM JAMM
Officials for the EXAM JAMM are hoping to attract college women's basketball coaches at Lake Zurich High School tonight.
The event is a joint effort between Lake Zurich and Fremd high schools to provide those coaches the opportunity to view 18 teams and nine girls basketball games at one site.
"Our hope is to draw colleges to come see some great talent from the suburbs," said Fremd coach Dave Yates. "The name came from the fact that most colleges are having final exams this week and it is a good week to go see games because they are not playing games during final exams."
Lake Zurich has three main gyms - the original main gym, the second main gym and the field house.
"That makes for the perfect place to host this event," said Yates whose team will face St. Viator at 7:45 p.m.
Other games featuring area teams: Lake Zurich vs. Vernon Hills (4:15 p.m.), Buffalo Grove vs. Wheaton North (5 p.m.), Marian Central vs Libertyville (5:15 p.m.), Johnsburg vs Hersey (6:30 p.m.) and Rolling Meadows vs. Mother McAuley (8:15 p.m.)
• Please email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com.