Mack factor has Grinnell gaining ground
Two Libertyville graduates and siblings have been part of a record-setting season for the Grinnell baseball team.
Senior Anthony Mack and sophomore Andrew Mack have made big contributions to the Pioneers, who have clinched a spot in the Midwest Conference playoffs.
For the first time in school history, the program is receiving attention in the national rankings.
In two polls they have climbed as high as the No. 30-ranked team in the country in the Collegiate Baseball/ABCA poll while sitting in the "receiving votes" category in the D3Baseball.com/NCBWA poll (No. 33 spot).
Grinnell is 26-4 (school record wins) and 12-0 in Midwest Conference play.
Anthony is a senior captain who is hitting over .350 as the team's leadoff batter. He is near or at the top of the leader board in many statistical categories in the Midwest Conference.
Andrew started the season with two strong starts before injured his elbow. He is hoping to return for the conference playoffs. He was named the No. 1 starter before suffering the ulna stress fracture and UCL sprain.
Men's lacrosse
Aurora University junior attacker Jason Koziol (Grayslake) led the Spartans (13-2, 5-0) to a 3-0 record and was named offensive player of the week in the Midwest Lacrosse Conference for the second time.
Koziol scored 5 goals with 6 assists in a 16-10 win over Wittenberg.
He had 2 goals with 2 assists in a 19-9 win over Benedictine and closed the week with 2 goals and 3 assists in an 11-5 win over the Milwaukee School of Engineering.
For the week, Koziol scored 9 goals with 11 assists and 9 ground balls.
Gerbasi to Millikin
Grayslake Central senior Marie Gerbasi will play volleyball for Millikin University and head coach Debbie Kiick.
She plans to major in art therapy.
"Marie is a full rotation player with the potential to be an asset in both the front row and the back row," Kiick said. "She is quick with good skills and we look forward to watching her growth and development wearing the Blue."
Gerbasi earned three varsity letters in volleyball at Grayslake Central. As an all-area senior, she was captain and earned the team's MVP award. She recorded record 138 kills, 141 digs, 29 service aces and 12 blocks.
Under Kiick's leadership Millikin has won 20 or more matches in 13 of her 15 years.
Men's golf.
Augustana junior Eric Swanson (Vernon Hills) tied for 18th with a score of 304 as the Vikings placed fifth in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin tournament at Prairie Landing Golf Course in West Chicago. The Vikings recorded a four-round total of 1,210 over the par 72, 6,806-yard layout.
Women's lacrosse
In a battle between two of the best teams in the NCAA Division III West Region, No. 5 ranked Colorado College scored the last 9 goals to defeat top-ranked Augustana 20-13 in Rock Island.
Vikings junior Olivia Mayer (Libertyville) had 5 goals and teammate Emily Handrahan (Lake Zurich) had one as the Vikings suffered just their second loss in 17 outings. The setback is also just the second at home in the five-year history of the Augustana program.
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