College Notes: Notre Dame women's rugby to play for national title

After a national runner-up and third-place finish the last two years, the Notre Dame College women's rugby team is looking to win the national championship this year. The Falcons, who have gotten contributions from Brunswick graduates Aubrey Boing, Avery Bruzda, Emilie Dobranski, Charlee McCormick and Julia Soprek and Buckeye graduate Rosa Treece, are ranked second in the nation and will face top-ranked Michigan in the National Collegiate Rugby Division I championship on Dec. 2. Last year the Wolverines topped Notre Dame 41-14. Both teams enter this year's contest undefeated. The Falcons reached the title game by defeating No. 7 Iowa State 44-20 in the regional semifinals and No. 5 Indiana 27-13 in the regional finals. Football Mount Union offensive linemen Mason Fortner (Wadsworth) and Ben Lilly (Wadsworth) anchor a unit that is second in the country in Division III by allowing just 2.0 tackles for loss per game. Senior linebacker Mason McMillen (Wadsworth) leads Mount Union with 80 tackles, including nine for a loss, three sacks and a forced fumble, as the Purple Raiders prepare for a first-round playoff game against Alfred State on Saturday. Senior Jacob Russell (Wadsworth) recorded three tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble in Oberlin's 50-7 loss to Ohio Wesleyan. Redshirt freshman Jajuan Jackson (Medina) has two interceptions and six pass breakups for Walsh. Sophomore Matt Spatny (Medina) has 36 tackles, including eight for a loss, five sacks and a fumble recovery, for Lehigh. Junior Dorian Boyland (Medina) had 77 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries in Drake's 16-14 win over Presbyterian, which clinched at least a share of the Pioneer Football League championship. Women's volleyball Graduate student Kacie Evans (Wadsworth) enters Georgia's SEC matchup with South Carolina on Friday one point away from becoming the fifth Bulldog to record 2,000 points. With 1,721 kills, Evans is top five in Georgia history. Indiana State's Kira Holland (Medina) has won six Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week awards. Holland has 306 kills and 221 digs for the Sycamores. Junior Emily Richardson (Brunswick) was named second-team All-North Coast Athletic Conference after leading Hiram with 274 kills and 90 blocks. Freshman Makenzie Schellenberger (Medina) has 227 digs ahead of Otterbein's NCAA D-III tournament matchup with La Verne today. Sophomore Kamiah Gibson (Buckeye) had a season-high 28 assists and 10 digs to help Ohio State sweep Rutgers. She has 100 assists and 26 digs on the season. Freshman Ellie Zuro (Wadsworth) has 330 kills, 64 digs and 53 blocks for Fairmont State. Women's basketball Senior Lindsey Linard (Medina) scored a Youngstown State career-high nine points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 from the free throw line while grabbing three rebounds in a 78-32 victory over Slippery Rock. Senior E'Anna Won (Wadsworth) tallied nine points and seven rebounds in Siena Heights' 48-41 loss to Indiana Tech. Junior Alexis Furyes (Highland) notched a career-high 15 points with seven rebounds in Penn State-Behrend's 95-65 loss to Asbury. Junior Maggie Long (Wadsworth) is averaging a career-high 12.3 points on 11-of-28 shooting, 8-of-20 from 3-point range and 7-of-8 from the foul line for Lawrence Tech. Junior Kendall McCormick (Highland) scored 12 points with seven rebounds in Hillsdale's 82-58 loss to Illinois-Springfield. Senior Taylor Leatherman (Wadsworth) poured in 27 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in Concordia's 74-48 win over Goshen and is averaging 15.7 points and 8.5 rebounds. Junior Sarah McKee (Medina) scored a career-high 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 from the foul line in Ashland's season-opening 98-61 win over Wayne State (MI). Men's basketball Junior Marquis Barnett (Brunswick) is averaging a career-high 14.0 points and scored a season-high 20 points with seven rebounds in Presbyterian's 71-64 win over the Citadel. Sophomore Brayden Hamilton (Brunswick) dropped in 17 points with two rebounds and two assists to lead Baldwin Wallace to a 100-82 season-opening win against Washington & Jefferson. Freshman Caden Madigan (Wadsworth) added two points off the bench. Junior Corey Tripp (Medina) matched his career-high with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting in Wofford's 85-68 win over Brevard. Junior Christian Howard (Medina) is averaging career bests with 12.5 points and 5.8 rebounds for Columbia International. Women's soccer Senior defender Maria Nelson (Medina) has posted a career-high two goals and six points for Tennessee, which faces fifth-seeded Nebraska in a second-round NCAA Tournament matchup Friday. Junior Jordyn Wickes (Brunswick) was named one of 14 Big Ten Sportsmanship award winners and has scored seven goals for Michigan State, which faces Harvard in the second round of the NCAA Tournament tonight. Eastern Michigan's Olivia Sipsock (Medina) was named to the Mid-American Conference's All-freshman team after registering five goals and two assists this season. Senior defender Claire Miko (Medina) has a career-high three assists and five points for St. Francis. Senior Haley Anspach (Medina) finished her season with a career-high five goals and matched her career best with 11 points for Miami (OH). Sophomore defender Meghan Heath (Medina) was tabbed second-team All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference after helping Canisius allow just 13 goals in 18 games. Men's soccer Junior Cole Parete (Brunswick) has scored a career-high three goals for fourth-ranked Georgetown, which opens NCAA Tournament play Sunday. Junior Cole Werthmuller (Medina) scored a career-high four goals while appearing in 16 games for Wright State. Women's cross country Senior Emily Bardwell (Brunswick) helped Michigan State qualify for the D-I championship meet by placing 22nd at the Great Lakes Regional in 21:00.5. The Spartans finished third as a team. Walsh freshman Alyssa Stoner (Cloverleaf) earned second-team All-Great Midwest Athletic Conference honors after finishing 17th at the league meet in 23:17.7. Men's cross country Freshman Elijah Hadler (Highland) finished ninth at the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship in 26:14.3 to help Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology place second. Women's bowling Ursuline senior Lucille Petkac (Hinckley Twp. resident/Padre Rio Academy) finished 10th at the Daemen Storm Fall Classic after averaging 184.2 and bowling a career-high 226 game. Men's swimming Sophomore Henry Wilkes (Highland) helped St. Bonaventure defeat Le Moyne 122-101 by aiding the 200-yard medley relay team win in 1:36.16. Senior Owen Chaye (Medina) earned MAC Swimmer of the Week for the fifth time in his career after winning the 50 (20.49) and 100 (45.54) at the Dan Ross Indiana Intercollegiate. Freshman Brayden Morford (Medina) helped Carnegie Mellon win the 200 freestyle relay three times, the 100 backstroke twice and the 200 and 400 medley relays once in the Tartans' first four events of the season. Women's swimming Senior Abrielle Junge (Medina) won the 50 (26.54) and 100 free (57.34) in Notre Dame College's 138-61 loss to Baldwin Wallace. Wrestling Campbell freshman Chris Earnest (Wadsworth) placed second at 157 pounds at the Southeast Open. Ohio sophomore Mason Brugh (Wadsworth) placed second at 133 at the Southeast Open. Maryland senior Michael North (Wadsworth) took eighth at 157 at the Missouri Tiger Style Invite by going 2-2. Women's tennis Findlay senior Emily Hadler (Highland) and partner Zuzanna Krygier won the East bracket of the Wayne State Doubles Tournament by winning four straight matches, including a 6-3 win over Oakland's Isabelle Pompa and Emma Hultqvist in the final. Sophomore Calista Bobula (Brunswick) finished the fall campaign with a 4-2 singles record and a 4-3 doubles record for Cedarville. Contact John Urchek at jurchek@medina-gazette.com.