Wrap: Judson softball makes nationals
After waiting 30 years to go to a national tournament, Judson University's softball team will embark on its second straight trip to the NCCAA National Tournament today.
Judson will open the 2008 NCCAA National Tournament today in West Palm Beach, Fla. The Eagles, seeded seventh in the 7-team field, will face the host team, No. 6 Palm Beach Atlantic at 3 p.m. today. Palm Beach Atlantic is an NCAA Division II school and is 29-22 this season and 12-10 in the Sunshine State Conference. The winner will come right back and play the No. 1 seed Mt. Vernon Nazarene at 5 p.m.
Other teams in the tournament are No. 2 Spring Arbor (Mich.), No. 3 Mid-Continent (Kent.), No. 4 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), and No. 5 Central Baptist (Ark.).
Judson enters the tournament with a 20-19 record and needs just 3 wins to tie the most wins in school history. The 20 wins are the most in Becky Bruns' four-year tenure as the Eagles' head coach.
With the bid to the national tournament, Judson also received notice that it had three players named NCCAA All-North Central Region in Elgin High graduate Lizzy Jacobson, Larkin alum Debra Leganski and Lake Park product Nicole Dimiceli.
Dimiceli, a freshman, leads the team in batting at .431, doubles (17), and RBI (36). She is just 3 doubles short of tying the Judson single season record and needs just 6 RBI to break the single season record. She also has 7 home runs.
Jacobson has been solid for Judson this season at the plate and in the circle. She is 8-8 overall and has 67 strikeouts with a 4.42 ERA. At the plate, she is batting .330 and has 8 home runs and 28 RBI.
Leganski has been stellar at the plate with 12 home runs, a Judson single-season record. A sophomore, Leganski has 16 career homers, also a Judson record. She currently is hitting .347 with 35 RBI and has 6 doubles.
Softball
St. Charles North 3, Streamwood 1: Despite a solid showing inside the circle from Barb Posinger (7 IP, 3 runs, 4 hits, 4 strikeouts), Streamwood (3-11, 3-6) dropped this Upstate Eight Conference game. Beth McRill (2-for-3, 2b) and Betsy Holman (2-for-4) led the Sabre offense.
Rosary 3, St. Edward 2: Recording just 3 hits, St. Edward (9-8, 4-2) dropped this Suburban Catholic Conference match-up with Rosary. Kristi Knott, Kelly Knott and Erin McGraw were the lone hitters to get on base via a hit for the Green Wave. McGraw suffered the loss allowing 3 runs on 6 hits while fanning two in the complete game effort.
Hampshire drops two: Facing Geneva in nonconference action, Hampshire (12-6) fell 3-2 in Game 1 and 8-1 in the back end of this doubleheader. Ally Kent suffered the early loss, and Katie McBride entered the circle for the Game 2 loss. Jessica Kraus helped the Whip-Purs to the only run in the second game with a home run.
Girls soccer
Chicago Christian 8, Westminster Christian 2: A strong effort from Rachel Doby, who scored both goals for Westminster Christian (1-9-1, 1-3), wasn't enough as the Warriors dropped this Private School League contest. Rachel Farquhar (8 saves) and Brittnie Feitlich (7 saves) shared time in goal for Westminster Christian.
Woodlands Academy 1, Elgin Academy 0: Able to shut Woodlands down through regulation, Elgin Academy (5-5, 2-3) fell in this Independent School League meeting in overtime. Bianca Swegler defended the net recording 12 saves.
Niles North 3, South Elgin 0: Despite excellent ball movement and strong combination play up the middle, South Elgin (2-10-1) couldn't find the back of the net in this nonconference loss. Danielle Wagner was in goal for the Storm and collected 5 saves.
McHenry 1, Dundee-Crown 0: Scoreless after regulation, two overtimes, and one shootout, McHenry took this Fox Valley Conference Valley Division match in a sudden death shootout. With shootout knocks from Deanna Libricz, Karen DeLaRosa and Licia Keyes, the Chargers were outscored 4-3 for the 1-0 loss. Libricz was also in goal for D-C finishing with 8 saves.
Prairie Ridge 2, CL Central 1: Prairie Ridge (7-4-1, 4-1) earned its second consecutive win in post-regulation action having out-shot Crystal Lake Central 4-3 in the shootout.
The Wolves and Tigers were knotted at 1-1 after the first half, a tie which carried through two ten-minute OTs. Megan Biner had the lone Wolves goal of regulation via the header off a pass from Maggie Olsen.
Olsen scored again during the shootout, along with Biner, Courtney Burrows and Julie Schwartz to out-do Central for the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division win.
Kyli Humm did an outstanding job in goal for Prairie Ridge tallying 8 saves, including two during the shootout.
Huntley 6, Grayslake North 0: The Williams sisters were in sync as Huntley (15-0, 6-0) recorded a 6-0 Fox Valley Conference Fox Division shutout over Grayslake North. Ashley Williams had a pair of early goals both assisted by Alyse Williams. Corinne Wronski, Lauren Gaitsch, Bre Burry and Taylor Henning-Fletter each added single goals with assists coming from Kaylee O'Brien, Ashley Williams and Kelly Creager.
Kaytlyn Owens (no saves) and Sarah Hoffman (3 saves) combined in goal to maintain the shutout, Huntley's 12th of the season.
Cary-Grove 7, Jacobs 0: Falling behind 5-0 at the half, Jacobs (5-11, 3-2) was overpowered by Cary-Grove (10-1, 4-0) in this Fox Valley Conference Valley Division contest. The Trojans earned their 9th shutout of the year. Liz Bart scored the first 2 goals assisted by Allie Simon and Kelli Anderson respectively. Taylor Mahoney, Alyssa Jacobucci, Ashley Gustafson, Kelsey Passaglia and Sally Tashjian each added single insurance knocks. Assists came from Mahoney and Bart.
In goal for Jacobs, Monica Orejuela recorded 8 saves. Alex Holland preserved the shutout with 3 saves.
Boys volleyball
South Elgin d. IMSA: With solid offensive and defensive efforts from Akash Patel (7 kills, 3 digs), Jim McMahon (8 kills, 8 digs), Kevin Mui (6 kills, 9 digs) and Andrew Gleason (5 kills, 4 digs), South Elgin (5-11) took this nonconference win over IMSA in two games, 25-23 and 25-19. Robbie Vasquez also had a big day recording 23 assists.
College baseball
Valparaiso 13, Judson 0: Taking on its second NCAA Division I baseball team this season, Judson University (14-21) fell to Valparaiso University, 13-0.
Picking up hits for Judson were Brett Ehrlich, Rafael Tejada, and Jacob Bostwick. Judson left 10 runners on base as six batters were walked. Judson used four pitchers in the game as Alci Gonzales took the loss.