Sports

Newnan crews prepare for annual Rock and Road Festival, announce detours

Newnan officials are preparing for the annual Rock and Road Festival that is scheduled for early Saturday morning. Newnan police officials have issued a reminder that there will be detours, road closures, and preparations done around the downtown area. It is scheduled from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. at 1 E Court Square. The Newnan […]

Published

1 month ago

April 11, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Newnan crews prepare for annual Rock and Road Festival, announce detours

Newnan officials are preparing for the annual Rock and Road Festival that is scheduled for early Saturday morning.

Newnan police officials have issued a reminder that there will be detours, road closures, and preparations done around the downtown area. It is scheduled from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. at 1 E Court Square.

The Newnan police department is asking motorists to avoid going around police or fire vehicles, traffic barricades, cones, barrels, or any vehicle that may be blocking an intersection. The detour will be in place from 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.

The festival is open to the public and will feature a car show, vendors, events, live music, food and beverages for the whole family to enjoy, organizers said. It also features mountain biking, BMX racing and more.

These measures are being put into place to protect the hundreds of people and cyclists, including you. Several signs have been placed throughout Newnan alerting everyone about the detour and alternate routes, Newnan police officials said.

“If you are a resident who lives close to downtown, you may hear vehicles or machinery in the early morning hours on the square preparing for this event. Come on out and enjoy the festival,” Newnan police officials said.

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‘Proud and saddened’: UCLA men’s volleyball loses NCAA title to Long Beach State

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The month of May became synonymous with UCLA magic the past two years. Spring of 2023 and 2024 were painted blue and gold, as the Bruins stood atop collegiate men’s volleyball and returned to Westwood with national hardware. And after the Bruins extinguished the Beach’s championship hopes last year at their home […]

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29 minutes ago

May 13, 2025

Your Sports Nation

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The month of May became synonymous with UCLA magic the past two years.

Spring of 2023 and 2024 were painted blue and gold, as the Bruins stood atop collegiate men’s volleyball and returned to Westwood with national hardware.

And after the Bruins extinguished the Beach’s championship hopes last year at their home gym, it seemed only right for the favor to be returned, albeit on neutral ground.

No. 1 seed Long Beach State (30–3, 8-2 Big West) swept No. 3 seed UCLA men’s volleyball (22-7, 10-2 MPSF) in the NCAA tournament final Monday night at the Covelli Center. The Beach’s steamroll marked their first championship since 2019 – simultaneously burying the Bruins’ bid for a historic three-peat, which could have been their first since 1983.

“It’s the stuff we have expected since day one,” Hawks said. “I’m trying to think of the bright side of it, the growth that we have had … and I’m just grateful, and proud and saddened for these guys, and that’s really where my heart is, with these guys and these seniors.”

Junior outside hitter Zach Rama attempts to block an attempt from Long Beach State opposite Skyler Varga. Rama hit at a .136 hitting percentage Monday, his lowest since April 4. (Lex Wang/Daily Bruin senior staff)

Despite entering the national finals ranking second nationally with a .369 hitting percentage, the Bruins’ own misfires wrote their downfall in Ohio. UCLA finished with 15 attack errors in the match, with 10 unraveling in a costly second set – a stanza that slipped through the Bruins’ fingers after a 18-13 cushion.

At the tail end of the second frame, costly blunders – two attack errors from junior outside hitter Zach Rama and a service error each from senior outside hitter/opposite Ido David and Rama – cracked the door open for the Beach as the Bruins watched a golden opportunity vanish.

The errors allowed Long Beach back into a set – one that was the Bruins’ to lose – with a two-ace service run from AVCA Player and Newcomer of the Year setter Moni Nikolov.

The errors didn’t stop at the attacking realm either, as the Bruins racked up two blocking errors and 18 service errors. After committing 16 blunders from the line and six laser aces in their sweep of the Rainbow Warriors in the semifinal, the Bruins somehow yielded a worse ace-to-error ratio, with just three aces Monday.

UCLA men’s volleyball comes together in the center of the court at the Covelli Center after Long Beach earns a point. The Bruins finished the final with a .192 hitting percentage and 15 attack errors. (Lex Wang/Daily Bruin senior staff)

Across the net, Nikolov – who broke Long Beach’s single-season service ace record in his freshman season – single-handedly outshone UCLA’s service attack, tallying four aces to tilt the match in his team’s favor. Heightened pressure sunk the Bruins’ reception game, as redshirt junior libero Matthew Aziz and sophomore outside hitter Luca Curci – both of whom serve as the team’s backline defensive specialists – combined for just three digs.

Two of UCLA’s AVCA All-American offensive threats in Rama and junior middle blocker Cameron Thorne strung together sub-.150 hitting percentages while All-MPSF Honorable Mention and freshman outside hitter Sean Kelly could muster up just three kills – and as many attacking errors – after pacing the team with 13 kills Saturday in the semifinal.

Despite the lack of production from the Bruins’ offensive stalwarts, MPSF Player of the Year and AVCA First Team All-American Cooper Robinson led the way with 10 kills on a .381 clip, bearing the team’s weight in the dying embers of the match.

Redshirt junior outside hitter Cooper Robinson swings through an attempted kill. Robinson finished the final with a team-leading 10 kills on a . 381 clip alongside three digs. (Lex Wang/Daily Bruin senior staff)

“UCLA has 21 championships for a reason. There’s a formula that we have and it works, and there’s a reason why we are here every year,” Robinson said. “This year, we had new leadership, and it was pretty difficult at first, but the guys really took control and began to become great leaders towards the end.”

Orchestrating the team’s attack, junior setter Andrew Rowan finished with his lowest assist total since March 15.

The three-time AVCA First Team All-American built off Robinson, adding that prevailing through adversity helped the team grow most.

“There’s a point in time where you’re not practicing the best or the team culture of the court isn’t the greatest, and I think the way we overcame that, and that was the biggest lesson as a leader and a player,” Rowan said.

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Sports

High school scores for May 12

Glenbard North’s Gabriel Early, left, and Glenbard South’s Lucas Galas are at the front of the pack halfway through the 800-meter run during Friday’s DuPage County boys track and field meet at Wheaton Warrenville South High School. Joe Lewnard/jlewnard@dailyherald.com Monday, May 12 Baseball Antioch 10, Grayslake North 0 (5 Inn.) Aurora Christian 6, Parkview […]

Published

40 minutes ago

May 13, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Monday, May 12

Baseball

Antioch 10, Grayslake North 0 (5 Inn.)

Aurora Christian 6, Parkview Christian 5

Barrington 4, Conant 0

Cary-Grove 8, Crystal Lake South 1

Downers Grove North 3, Lyons 2

Elk Grove 7, Buffalo Grove 2

Elmwood Park 8, West Chicago 5

Hampshire 6, Burlington Central 2

Hersey 12, Wheeling 2 (6 Inn.)

Hinsdale Central 10, Proviso West 0 (5 Inn.)

Huntley 9, Dundee-Crown 2

IC Catholic Prep 3, De La Salle 2

Lake Zurich 3, Warren 1

Leyden 7, Addison Trail 4

Libertyville 11, Lake Forest 0

Maine South 4, Evanston 3 (9 Inn.)

Marmion Academy 4, Aurora Central Catholic 3

McHenry 11, Jacobs 6

Metea Valley 6, DeKalb 0

Montini 11, Leo 0 (6 Inn.)

Morton 6, Hinsdale South 5

Mundelein 15, Waukegan 0 (4 Inn.)

Naperville North 6, Neuqua Valley 2

Notre Dame Prep 10, Carmel 9

Oak Park-River Forest 12, York 10

Palatine 8, Hoffman Estates 3

Prospect 9, Rolling Meadows 7

Ridgewood 12, Fenton 0 (6 Inn.)

South Elgin 5, Streamwood 0

St. Francis 14, Fenwick 4

Stevenson 11, Zion-Benton 1 (6 Inn.)

Vernon Hills 3, Maine West 2

West Aurora 5, Elgin 4

Westminster Christian 11, Alden-Hebron 1 (5 Inn.)

Westmont 15, Ida Crown 0 (4 Inn.)

Wheaton Academy 9, Yorkville Christian 1

Softball

Addison Trail 11, Willowbrook 1 (6 Inn.)

Aurora Christian 17, Chicago Hope 16

Barrington 20, Hoffman Estates 0 (4 Inn.)

Bartlett 15, Streamwood 0 (4 Inn.)

Conant 6, Schaumburg 1

Crystal Lake Central 6, Jacobs 1

Elgin 7, Round Lake 3

Fremd 1, Palatine 0

Glenbard East 12, Ridgewood 5

Glenbard North 15, Geneva 5 (5 Inn.)

Hampshire 15, Dundee-Crown 0 (4 Inn.)

Hersey 13, Rolling Meadows 0 (5 Inn.)

Huntley 13, Cary-Grove 3 (6 Inn.)

Johnsburg 6, Grant 5

Kaneland 9, Morris 6

Lake Park 5, St. Charles East 0

Larkin 16, East Aurora 1 (4 Inn.)

Leyden 4, Downers Grove South 3 (8 Inn.)

Libertyville 12, Waukegan 0 (5 Inn.)

Loyola Academy 5, St. Viator 3

McHenry 7, Crystal Lake South 1

Metea Valley 9, Waubonsie Valley 3

Morton 2, Hinsdale South 0

Mundelein 10, Warren 3

Naperville Central 2, Neuqua Valley 1

Prairie Ridge 1, Burlington Central 0

Prospect 4, Buffalo Grove 3 (8 Inn.)

Providence 3, Downers Grove North 1

Reed-Custer 4, Lisle 3

South Elgin 6, West Aurora 2

St. Charles North 2, Wheaton Warrenville South 0

St. Edward 16, Harvest Christian 3 (6 Inn.)

Stevenson 15, Lake Forest 0 (4 Inn.)

Timothy Christian 6, IC Catholic Prep 3

Vernon Hills 5, Highland Park 0

West Chicago 12, Fenton 1 (6 Inn.)

Westmont 23, Our Lady of Tepeyac 1 (4 Inn.)

Wheaton North 4, Batavia 1

Wheeling 10, Elk Grove 4

York 5, Oak Park-River Forest 4

Girls soccer

Batavia 1, St. Charles East 0

Carmel 1, St. Viator 1 (C wins 3-2 in PKs)

IC Catholic Prep 4, Morris 0

Naperville North 3, Metea Valley 2

Wauconda 8, North Chicago 0

Boys lacrosse

Barrington 13, Hersey 6

Glenbrook North 11, Antioch 6

Lakes 13, Lake Forest Academy 9

Girls lacrosse

Downers Grove North 15, Neuqua Valley 4

Geneva 6, Rosary 4

Hersey 9, Barrington 8

Naperville Central 20, Plainfield 5

Nazareth 20, Metea Valley 10

Palatine 17, Buffalo Grove 2

Boys volleyball

Benet d. St. Patrick 25-17, 25-13

Elk Grove d. Elmwood Park 25-17, 25-17

Grayslake Central d. Carmel 25-14, 25-21

Hinsdale South d. Riverside-Brookfield 25-22, 28-26

Lake Zurich d. Barrington 25-20, 25-21

Schaumburg d. Fenton 25-15, 25-18

Stevenson d. Grant 25-15, 25-22

Streamwood d. St. Edward 25-12, 25-10

Girls water polo

IHSA sectionals

Buffalo Grove sectional

Wheeling 8, Buffalo Grove 3

Hoffman Estates sectional

Hoffman Estates 11, Rolling Meadows 6

Leyden sectional

Leyden 13, Morton 2

Neuqua Valley sectional

Neuqua Valley 20, Hinsdale South 3

Saturday’s late results

Baseball

Crystal Lake South 5, Lakes 3

Hinsdale Central 9, Proviso East 1

Joliet Catholic 11, Carmel 0

Joliet Catholic 8, Carmel 7

McHenry 12, Schaumburg 6

Plainfield South 6, Metea Valley 1

St. Charles North 13, Glenbard North 3 (5 Inn.)

Streamwood 9, Calumet Christian (IN) 0

Softball

Hinsdale Central 8, Oak Lawn 4

Hononegah 6, Burlington Central 4

IC Catholic Prep 8, St. Bede 2

Resurrection 3, Montini 2

Girls soccer

Batavia 2, Kaneland 2

Downers Grove North 3, Downers Grove South 0

Glenbard South 1, Elmwood Park 0

Peoria-Notre Dame 1, Fremd 0

Boys lacrosse

Batavia 6, Minooka 4

Naperville North 7, St. Charles North 6

St. Rita 9, St. Francis 6

Girls lacrosse

Libertyville 20, Vernon Hills 7

Wheaton Warrenville South 11, Streamwood 4

Boys water polo

Niles West 14, Maine West 8

York 11, Lyons 10

Girls water polo

Fremd 14, Lincoln-Way Central 7

Hersey 14, Barrington 5

Hersey 7, Naperville Central 6

Maine South 12, Glenbrook South 5

Maine West 15, Niles West 7

Upcoming

Tuesday, May 13

Baseball

Antioch at Grayslake North, 4:45 p.m.

Aurora Central Catholic at Marmion Academy, 4 p.m.

DeKalb at Metea Valley, 4:30 p.m.

Downers Grove North at Lyons, 4:30 p.m.

Elgin at West Aurora, 4:30 p.m.

Elmwood Park at West Chicago, 4:30 p.m.

Fenton at Ridgewood, 4:30 p.m.

Fenwick at St. Francis, 4:30 p.m.

Geneva at St. Charles East, 4:30 p.m.

Glenbard North at Wheaton North, 4:30 p.m.

Glenbard South at Riverside-Brookfield, 4:30 p.m.

Grant at Lakes, 6:30 p.m.

Harlem at Glenbard East, 4:30 p.m.

Hinsdale Central at Proviso West, 4:45 p.m.

IC Catholic Prep at De La Salle, 4:30 p.m.

Kaneland at LaSalle Peru, 4:30 p.m.

Lake Forest at Libertyville, 4:45 p.m.

Lake Park at St. Charles North, 4:30 p.m.

Lake Zurich at Warren, 4:45 p.m.

Larkin at East Aurora, 4:30 p.m.

Leo at Montini, 4:30 p.m.

Maine South at Evanston, 4:45 p.m.

Morton at Hinsdale South, 4:30 p.m.

Mundelein at Waukegan, 4:45 p.m.

Naperville Central at Waubonsie Valley, 4:30 p.m.

Neuqua Valley at Naperville North, 4:30 p.m.

Niles North at Maine East, 4:45 p.m.

North Shore Country Day at Timothy Christian, 4:30 p.m.

Parkview Christian Academy at Wheaton Academy, 4:30 p.m.

Proviso East at Downers Grove South, 4:30 p.m.

Reed-Custer at Lisle, 4:30 p.m.

Richmond-Burton at Round Lake, 4:45 p.m.

South Elgin at Streamwood, 4:30 p.m.

Stevenson at Zion-Benton, 4:45 p.m.

Vernon Hills at Maine West, 4:45 p.m.

Wauconda at Grayslake Central, 4:45 p.m.

Westmont at Chicago Prep Conference Championships Series, TBA

Wheaton Warrenville South at Batavia, 4:30 p.m.

York at Oak Park-River Forest, 6:30 p.m.

Softball

Antioch at Grayslake Central, 4:45 p.m.

Aurora Central Catholic at Geneva, 4:30 p.m.

Benet at Waubonsie Valley, 4:30 p.m.

Carmel at Oswego, 5 p.m.

Crystal Lake South at Lakes, 4:45 p.m.

Downers Grove North at Sandburg, 4:30 p.m.

Downers Grove South at Plainfield East, 4:30 p.m.

Durand at Harvest Christian, 4:30 p.m.

East Aurora at Streamwood, 4:30 p.m.

Elgin at West Aurora, 4:30 p.m.

Glenbard East at West Chicago, 4:30 p.m.

Glenbard South at Riverside-Brookfield, 4:30 p.m.

Glenbrook North at Maine South, 4:45 p.m.

Grant at Wauconda, 4:45 p.m.

Hope Academy at St. Edward, 5 p.m.

Lyons at Glenbard West, 4:45 p.m.

Maine East at Vernon Hills, 4:45 p.m.

Maine West at Niles West, 4:45 p.m.

Reed-Custer at Lisle, 4:30 p.m.

Round Lake at Grayslake North, 4:45 p.m.

South Elgin at Larkin, 4:30 p.m.

St. Francis at St. Viator, 4:30 p.m.

Westmont at Chicago Prep Conference Tournament, TBA

Wheaton Academy at Timothy Christian, 4:30 p.m.

Girls soccer

Addison Trail at Willowbrook, 6:30 p.m.

Benet at Fenwick, 5:30 p.m.

Cary-Grove at Dundee Crown, 4:30 p.m.

Elgin Crossover, 6:30 p.m.

Geneva at Lake Park, 7 p.m.

Glenbard South at Wheaton Warrenville South, 6:30 p.m.

Glenbard West at Oak Park-River Forest, 7:30 p.m.

Hampshire at Crystal Lake Central, 6:30 p.m.

Hinsdale South at Proviso East, 6:30 p.m.

Huntley at Burlington Central, 6:30 p.m.

IC Catholic Prep at DePaul College Prep, 5 p.m.

Jacobs at Crystal Lake South, 4:30 p.m.

Lake Forest at Mundelein, 4:45 p.m.

Lakes at St. Viator, 6 p.m.

Lyons at York, 6:30 p.m.

Metea Valley at DeKalb, 6:30 p.m.

Naperville North at Neuqua Valley, 4:30 p.m.

Palatine at Carmel, 4:45 p.m.

Round Lake at Grayslake North, 6:15 p.m.

St. Charles East at Wheaton North, 6:30 p.m.

Stevenson at Lake Zurich, 4:45 p.m.

Warren at Libertyville, 4:45 p.m.

Waubonsie Valley at Naperville Central, 7 p.m.

Boys track and field

Benet, Carmel at Notre Dame ESCC Conference Championships, TBA

Boys lacrosse

Antioch at South Elgin, 6:30 p.m.

Boylan Catholic at Kaneland, 5 p.m.

Brother Rice at Montini, 6 p.m.

Burlington Central at Jacobs, 6:30 p.m.

Cary-Grove at Hampshire, 6:30 p.m.

Dundee Crown at Prairie Ridge, 6:30 p.m.

Hinsdale Central at D230 Coop, 6:30 p.m.

IC Catholic Prep at DePaul College Prep, 7 p.m.

Lyons at Downers Grove South, 7 p.m.

Maine South at Deerfield, 6:30 p.m.

Marmion Academy at Nazareth, 6 p.m.

Middleton at Wheaton Academy, 7 p.m.

New Trier at Vernon Hills, 5:30 p.m.

Oak Park-River Forest at Benet, 5:30 p.m.

St. Patrick at Elk Grove, 6 p.m.

St. Laurence at St. Francis, 6 p.m.

Wheaton North at St. Charles East, 7 p.m.

Girls lacrosse

Benet at Lincoln Way Central, 6:15 p.m.

Cary-Grove/Crystal Lake Coop at Huntley, 6:30 p.m.

Lake Forest at Lake Zurich, 6:45 p.m.

Marist at Naperville North, 7 p.m.

St. Charles Coop at Montini, 4:30 p.m.

St. Francis at Hoffman Estates, 7 p.m.

Warren at Stevenson, 6:30 p.m.

Wheaton Warrenville South at Geneva, 6:45 p.m.

Boys tennis

Antioch at Woodstock, 4:30 p.m.

Carmel at Grayslake Central, 4:30 p.m.

Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake South, Huntley at Jacobs FVC Championships, 4 p.m.

Glenbard East at Downers Grove North, 4:30 p.m.

Glenbard West at Wheaton Warrenville South, 4:30 p.m.

Highland Park at Libertyville, 4:45 p.m.

Hinsdale South at Wauconda, 4:30 p.m.

Larkin at IMSA, 5 p.m.

Lockport at Neuqua Valley, 4:30 p.m.

Mendota at Kaneland, 4:30 p.m.

St. Charles East at Elgin, 4:30 p.m.

St. Francis at Marmion Academy, 4:30 p.m.

Stagg at Downers Grove South, 4:30 p.m.

Stevenson at Deerfield, 4:30 p.m.

Timothy Christian at St. Viator, 4:30 p.m.

Willowbrook at Lisle, 4:30 p.m.

Boys volleyball

Barrington at Hoffman Estates, 6 p.m.

Benet at Notre Dame, 6 p.m.

Buffalo Grove at Prospect, 6 p.m.

Carmel at Nazareth, 6 p.m.

De La Salle at Marmion Academy, 6 p.m.

Downers Grove North at Hinsdale Central, 5:30 p.m.

Elgin at West Aurora, 5:30 p.m.

Elk Grove at Wheeling, 6 p.m.

Fenton at Elmwood Park, 5:30 p.m.

Geneva at St. Charles East, 5:30 p.m.

Glenbard East at West Chicago, 5:30 p.m.

Glenbard North at Wheaton North, 5:30 p.m.

Glenbard South at Riverside-Brookfield, 5:30 p.m.

Glenbard West at Lyons, 5:30 p.m.

Grayslake North at Antioch, 7 p.m.

Hersey at Rolling Meadows, 6 p.m.

IMSA at Larkin, 5:30 p.m.

Lake Park at St. Charles North, 5:30 p.m.

Lakes at Grant, 6 p.m.

Maine South at Glenbrook North, 5 p.m.

Metea Valley at Neuqua Valley, 5:30 p.m.

Montini at DePaul College Prep, 6 p.m.

Morton at Downers Grove South, 5:30 p.m.

Naperville North at Naperville Central, 5:30 p.m.

Palatine at Fremd, 6 p.m.

Round Lake at North Chicago, 6 p.m.

South Elgin at Bartlett, 5:30 p.m.

St. Ignatius at St. Francis, 6 p.m.

St. Patrick at St. Viator, 6 p.m.

Vernon Hills at Maine West, 5:30 p.m.

Willowbrook at Proviso East, 5:30 p.m.

York at Oak Park-River Forest, 6 p.m.

Boys water polo

IHSA sectionals

Glenbrook North sectional

Glenbrook North vs. Maine East, 5 p.m.

Hoffman Estates sectional

Hoffman Estates vs. Rolling Meadows, 4:45 p.m.

Leyden sectional

Northside vs. Leyden, 5 p.m.

Maine West sectional

Maine West vs. Prospect, 6 p.m.

McHenry sectional

McHenry vs. Elk Grove, 5:30 p.m.

Warren sectional

Warren vs. Lake Forest, 5 p.m.

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Long Beach State sweeps UCLA for its 4th NCAA men’s volleyball title – Pasadena Star News

Long Beach State’s Alex Kandev, right, spikes the ball past UCLA’s Zach Rama (21) during the NCAA men’s volleyball title match on Monday night in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo courtesy of LBSU Athletics/Diego Devia) UCLA’s Sean Kelly (12) tries to spike the ball through the defense of Long Beach State’s Alex Kandev (12) and Isaiah Preuitt […]

Published

58 minutes ago

May 13, 2025

Your Sports Nation

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Long Beach State men’s volleyball team is back atop the sport after capping a dominant season with one of its best performances.

Top-seeded LBSU defeated third-seeded UCLA, 25-17, 25-23, 25-21, on Monday night at Ohio State’s Covelli Center to win its fourth national championship and avenge a loss to the Bruins in the 2024 title match, which was played at Long Beach State.

Freshman setter Moni Nikolov, the AVCA National Player of the Year, had six kills, four aces, two blocks and 27 assists to pace Long Beach (30-3), which hit .354 and held UCLA to .192.

“Not for one second did we think we were going to lose that game,” said the 6-foot-10 Nikolov, who was named the tournament MVP. “Before the game in the locker room we told each other we were here. We were born for this (expletive) game.”

The animated Nikolov, 18, paused and apologized for his faux pas before adding: “We were built for this game. Even when we were down five (in the second set), we trusted each other because we knew we were the better team.”

Alex Kandev had a team-high 13 kills and four blocks for Long Beach while hitting .450. Nato Dickinson added seven kills on a .417 hitting percentage, Skyler Varga had five kills and Diaeris McRaven added five blocks.

Long Beach had five aces, tying the NCAA single-season record (237) in the rally-scoring era, and 9.5 blocks, leading UCLA in every statistical category.

Cooper Robinson had 10 kills and hit .381 to lead the Bruins (22-7), while Zach Rama had eight kills and five blocks.

Long Beach won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2018 and 2019 and had finished as the runner-up twice since then (2022 and 2024) – there was no 2020 tournament because of the COVID pandemic. LBSU’s only other national championship came in 1991.

UCLA was chasing its 22nd national championship and trying to become the first program to win three in a row since the Bruins won four straight under longtime coach Al Scates from 1981-84.

The first set was close early until Long Beach used a quick 3-0 surge to open an 11-7 lead. LBSU extended its lead to 20-14 following back-to-back blocks by Isaiah Preuitt and Kandev and hit .688 in the frame on its way to a 25-17 win.

UCLA seized control early in the second set behind kills from Robinson and Sean McQuiggan, eventually building its largest lead at 18-13 after an Ido David ace. Long Beach responded and took advantage of some costly UCLA errors (two attack errors from Rama and service errors from David and Rama), winning seven of the next nine points to draw even at 20-all on a pair of Nikolov aces. Long Beach scored three straight points for a 24-22 lead, then closed the set on a McRaven kill.

The third set remained close until LBSU created some separation for a 16-11 lead. UCLA mounted one final charge behind consecutive kills from Rama to get within 21-20, but Long Beach withstood the pressure. A kill from Kandev sent the match to championship point, and a Nikolov kill completed the sweep and kicked off the celebration.

LBSU, which had a 20-match winning streak earlier this season, spent the past 14 weeks ranked No. 1 on the strength of a deep roster. Long Beach did lose a pair of matches to Big West Conference rival Hawaii last month, including the Big West Tournament final, but won nine of 10 sets in the NCAAs to leave little doubt as to who the best team in the country was.

Long Beach won all three of its matches against UCLA this season, beating the Bruins twice in February (a four-set victory at home, and a sweep at Pauley Pavilion) before Monday’s title match.

The 2025 NCAA Tournament will be played at UCLA.

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Lexington boys rip Winchester for 15th straight volleyball triumph – Boston Herald

WINCHESTER – With the sole lead in the Middlesex League title race on the line against rival Winchester, the No. 8 Lexington boys volleyball team picked a good night to set personal records on Monday. Junior outside hitter Nic Sanchez de Rojas posted a career-high 19 kills with nine in the third set, helping the […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 13, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Junior outside hitter Nic Sanchez de Rojas posted a career-high 19 kills with nine in the third set, helping the Minutemen (15-1) overcome late runs from the No. 18 Red and Black to pull out a 3-0 (25-21, 25-16, 25-23) win and extend their program-best 15-game winning streak.

Defense and serving were other major keys against a scrappy Winchester group hosting its 8th Annual Spike Out ALS fundraiser game.

“I didn’t know (I had 19), I feel great,” Sanchez de Rojas said. “Our coach always tells us to maintain the team ego but not have a personal ego, so I think it really helps to boost our morale. Obviously, we see the 15-1, and it makes us feel good. But we just can’t get too cocky.”

Lexington’s talent and depth overwhelmed Winchester in pockets throughout the match. Ale Luciani (11 kills) and Nadav Vachtel (seven kills) each had standout stretches on the attack. Mahin Rajesh and Jake Seigal combined for 37 assists, and middles Alexander Jackson (4.5 blocks) and Kolbey Manuelian (two blocks) played well at the net alongside the three-headed monster of pin-hitters to anchor a strong defensive showing.

That depth turned in a comfortable, 25-16 win in the second set. But in the first, Winchester erupted for a 5-0 run facing set point to challenge in a 25-21 frame. And in the third, a 9-1 run anchored a comeback from down 17-8 eventually forced a 23-23 tie.

The Minutemen, who lost a 3-2 thriller to Wayland in the opener, continued to show their improvement in crunch time by taking the next two points on a kill and block from Manuelian.

“We know that Winchester is always going to give us a battle,” said Lexington head coach Marc Turiano. “It got real competitive down the stretch (in the third). I think our guys have gotten in the habit of winning the tight set. … They’ve been pushed a number of times during this streak, and they’ve shown a pattern of coming through.”

“We practice the (clutch) situations,” added Sanchez de Rojas. “20-20, who can get to 25 first. I think it’s really great to get used to that in practice. … We’re starting to see we’re competing more in those tight situations and winning.”

Sanchez de Rojas had set the stage for the win in that last set with nine kills, adding to yet another showing of depth Lexington has at the pins.

Vachtel had four kills in a standout second set. Luciani had five with four aces in the first.

“It’s incredible we have so many options,” Sanchez de Rojas said.

Despite the loss, Winchester head coach John Fleming was pleased to see such a scrappy fight from his group before heading into a difficult stretch of its schedule before the state tournament starts. More meaningful, though, was a large crowd at a game dedicated to a great cause.

Former player Philip Marks’ father, Rick, was diagnosed with ALS in 2017 and the team started the fundraiser in support of the family. Shortly after, Fleming’s father was diagnosed.

It’s a cause that hits close to home, and the impact of still hosting the successful event, with Rick Marks’ wife, Eileen, and ALS One in attendance, is special.

“(Eileen) comes every year,” Fleming said. “Even a Lexington parent just came up to me and she works at BioGen … they just had a big break through. She and I spoke and she said the awareness is so big. … To have (this) sort of impact still is huge for us. And I think it’s important for high school athletes to sometimes be thinking about something than a match and to think about something as big and life-changing as a disease like this.

“It’s great to have the support from the community, that’s also why we picked Lexington.”

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Tech hosts in-state rival Middle Tennessee in home finale on Tuesday

By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team hosts its final contest at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex of the season on Tuesday night, squaring off in a rematch with longtime in-state rival Middle Tennessee at 6:00 p.m. CT. The contest is slated […]

Published

1 hour ago

May 13, 2025

Your Sports Nation

By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech baseball team hosts its final contest at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex of the season on Tuesday night, squaring off in a rematch with longtime in-state rival Middle Tennessee at 6:00 p.m. CT.

The contest is slated to be streamed on ESPN+, with Dylan Vazzano on the call. Admission to all Tech home baseball games is free of charge. With inclement weather expected in the Cookeville area throughout the day, fans are encouraged to check TTUSports.com and Tennessee Tech social media for any more potential updates to this season’s schedule.

THE SERIES
Tuesday’s match-up represents the 198th meeting between the two ball clubs in the all-time series, with the Blue Raiders holding a 124-71-2 lead. Last season, the Golden Eagles swept the home-and-home series, picking up wins at each team’s ballpark.

Following a two-hour weather delay back on Apr. 2 of last season, the purple and gold overcame a five-run deficit to top their rival to the west in a back-and-forth, 11-9 affair at Quillen Field and Bush Stadium at the Averitt Express Baseball Complex. Trailing 7-2 heading into the bottom of the fourth, Tech’s offense went to work, scoring four runs in the frame, two more in the sixth, and a very important three insurance markers in the eighth.

On Apr. 17, the sides squared off again with the Cookeville crew boasting a 5-2 victory in Murfreesboro. Mack Whitcomb belted a go-ahead, two-run long ball in the sixth to provide the necessary offense to secure the win. Tech’s bullpen racked up seven shutout frames to close the contest.

The two in-state foes clashed in Murfreesboro back on Mar. 11, with the Golden Eagles rolling to a 13-3 victory in seven innings. Shortstop Owen Lee led the charge by tying the program’s single-game home run record with three jacks on the night. Tech piled up 10 hits and 10 walks in the contest, constantly pressuring the Blue Raider pitching staff.

LAST TIME OUT
The Golden Eagles enter Tuesday’s contest after winning their sixth OVC series of the season with a pair of victories over visiting Lindenwood this past weekend. The Lions out-dueled the purple and gold in a 1-0 shutout in the opener on Friday, but Tech took over from there.

In game two, the Tech offense backed more brilliant pitching from its staff for a 9-1 victory, with reigning OVC Pitcher of the Week Jared Herzog tossing up 6.0 scoreless frames with seven punch-outs. Reece McDuffie finished things off for the three-inning save.

Sophomore catcher Mack Whitcomb paved the way to Sunday’s 7-4 victory, tying the program’s single-game home run record with three round-trippers in the affair. The defense and pitching held up their side as well, leading to another huge home victory on Senior Day.

THE OPPONENT
The Blue Raiders come into Tuesday’s affair following a banner weekend in their final home tilts of the season, sweeping a three-game set over Conference USA rival Sam Houston. Middle Tennessee picked up a 4-1 win in the opener, bouncing back from a solo run in the first to set the tone for the weekend.

A late charge in game two produced an 11-6 victory for the Blue Raiders, dropping eight runs across the sixth, seventh, and eighth frames. The offense continued to hum in the finale, setting the tone in a 13-3 run-rule victory in seven innings.

CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARD
Four-time Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year Matt Bragga is back for his 19th overall season at the helm of the Golden Eagle program and fourth after making his return to Cookeville in 2022. The Tech legend continues to climb the OVC’s all-time coaching wins list, currently ranked fifth overall in league history with a Golden Eagle program-record 555 victories. This season, Bragga passed TTU Sports Hall of Famer David Mays on the all-time list, and the Tech duo represents the only pair of coaches from the same school to rank in the league’s top eight of OVC wins.

1.	Gary McClure, Austin Peay (1988-15)	847
2.	Johnny Reagan, Murray State (1958-93)	776
3.	Jim Ward, Eastern Kentucky (1980-01)	628
4.	Jim Case, Jacksonville State (2004-21)	564
5.	*Matt Bragga, Tennessee Tech (2004-18, 22-present)*	*560*
6.	*David Mays, Tennessee Tech (1974-98)*	*554*
7.	Mark Hogan, Southeast Missouri (1995-12)	526
8.	Jim Schmitz, Eastern Illinois (1997-15)	480
9.	John Stanford, Middle Tennessee (1974-87)	402
10.	Steve Peterson, Middle Tennessee (1988-00)	401

PRESEASON OUTLOOK
The purple and gold were selected to finish third in the OVC in a preseason vote of league head baseball coaches and communications directors, falling behind only defending tournament champion Southeast Missouri and defending regular-season champ Little Rock.

During its 2025 OVC Season Preview, D1baseball.com selected southpaw Jared Herzog as the No. 1 prospect in the league for the 2025 MLB Draft while outfielder Jorsixt Jimenez was ranked 11th. The D1baseball crew listed catcher Mack Whitcomb as the No. 2 prospect from the OVC for the 2026 MLB Draft, right-handed pitcher Jack Brafa No. 7, and right-handed hurler Juan Vargas No. 9. Rookie righty Carter Casabella was selected as an Impact Freshman, sitting at No. 10.

OVC HONORS
On Monday, sophomore catcher Mack Whitcomb earned his second OVC Player of the Week honor of the season and his career following a career showing against Lindenwood. In the finale, the backstop tied a program record with three home runs and finished the weekend with five RBI, six runs, a .500 batting average, and a 1.400 slugging percentage.

Last week, senior southpaw Jared Herzog claimed the first OVC Pitcher of the Week nod of his lone season in the purple and gold after a sensational showing at Southeast Missouri on Saturday. The Ottawa, Ill. native tossed the team’s first complete game of the year, completing 9.0 innings while holding the Redhawks to just one run on seven hits while striking out four.

On Apr. 28, junior hurler Reece McDuffie was honored with his first career OVC Pitcher of the Week accolade, sharing the honor with Lindenwood’s Josh Newell. The right-hander completed 6.1 innings out of the pen, allowing just three base runners while striking out four and picking up a pair of wins in three appearances.

Earlier this month, on Apr. 14, junior infielder Eddie Garza picked up the first OVC Player of the Week honor of his career after helping lead the Golden Eagles to a three-game sweep of Southern Indiana. The second baseman hit .667 with three home runs, four runs scored, and nine RBI during the week, slugging a ridiculous 1.417.

Back on Mar. 24, senior outfielder Nicho Jordan was recognized as the OVC Player of the Week for the first time in his career, slashing .583/.688/.1.417 over four games with three home runs, six RBI, and eight runs scored. After opening Tech’s first OVC series at Little Rock 1-for-4, Jordan exploded in the second contest, tallying two home runs (including one of the inside-the-park variety) on a 4-for-4 day with five RBI, five runs, a walk, and a stolen base.

On Feb. 17, Whitcomb earned his first career OVC Player of the Week nod, batting .385 with five extra-base hits, six RBI, and five runs in a four-game sweep over Le Moyne on opening weekend. He slugged 1.154 while turning in an OPS of 1.625, smashing two long balls along the way.

Twitter: @TNTech_Baseball
Facebook: /TennesseeTechBaseball
Instagram: tntech_bsb

TENNESSEE TECH GOLDEN EAGLES
2025 Record: 34-18
2025 OVC Record: 16-8
Head Coach: Matt Bragga
TTU: 560-497-2 (19th Season)
Career: 611-573-3 (22nd Season)

STATS LEADERS
AVG: Mack Whitcomb (.339)
2B: Whitcomb (12)
3B: Jackson Green (2)
HR: Whitcomb (13)
RBI: Whitcomb (45)
R: Whitcomb (47)
BB: Nicho Jordan (35)
SLG%: Whitcomb (.619)
OB%: Whitcomb (.466)
SB: Jordan (18)
ERA: Juan Vargas (2.58)
W: Jack Brafa (6)
APP: 3 players tied (19)
IP: Jaxson Pease (63.1)
K: Vargas (51)
BAA: Herzog (.184)
SV: Vargas (8)

MIDDLE TENNESSEE BLUE RAIDERS
2025 Record: 23-28
2025 CUSA Record: 8-16
Head Coach: Jerry Meyers
MT: 70-93 (3rd Season)
Career: 237-251 (9th Season)

STATS LEADERS
AVG: Eston Snider (.351)
2B: Snider (16)
3B: 6 players tied (1)
HR: Brett Vondohlen (17)
RBI: Vondohlen (46)
R: Snider (43)
BB: Matt Wolfe (29)
SLG%: Vondohlen (.606)
OB%: Snider (.448)
SB: Snider (22)
ERA: Drew Horn (1.75)
W: Chandler Alderman (4)
APP: Landen Burch / Ethan Imbimbo (18)
IP: Alderman (64.2)
K: Horn (57)
BAA: Horn (.149)
SV: Burch (3)

Photo by Jim Dillon

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Sports

Local volleyball semifinals, Warriors playoffs on tap – Times Herald Online

The Benicia and American Canyon high school volleyball teams were given the No. 12 and 14 seeds in their respective playoff brackets, but each team has proven so far that it likes to pull off an upset. Fans of local volleyball have plenty to look forward to this week, with both teams playing in the […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 13, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Fans of local volleyball have plenty to look forward to this week, with both teams playing in the semifinals of the North Coast Section playoffs on Tuesday. At stake is a chance to win a section title on Thursday.

With the Golden State Warriors in a tight series against Minnesota and the NHL playoffs in the quarterfinals, it can be a lot to gauge on where to be and when to sit in front of a television. That’s why this week’s Thomas Guide will direct you just where to be and when.

Local volleyball

Benicia and American Canyon are one step away from playing in a championship match. American Canyon, the No. 14 seed in Division II, is at International High — just a short distance away from the Van Ness stop on a MUNI trip in San Francisco.

American Canyon is coming off an epic, five-set win over San Leandro last week. The Wolves were led by Hector Valencia, who had 20 kills and 10 digs. Patrick Gamboa had 14 kills in the same match.

Meanwhile, although Benicia is the No. 12 seed and Quarry Lane is the No. 9 seed, the match will be played Tuesday night at Benicia High. The Warriors are off Tuesday night, so no reason to miss a chance to miss a great local volleyball matchup. Nobody really expected a No. 9 seed to play a No. 12, but here we are.

Local baseball

The Vallejo High baseball team beat Bethel on Friday, the second win in three games between the two rivals. This latest win was in the first round of the Tri-County Athletic League playoffs, so the Redhawks will travel to Hercules on Wednesday for the semifinals.

Meanwhile, St. Pat’s, which defeated John Swett two weeks ago, finally plays another game on Wednesday against John Swett at home. First pitch in the semifinal game is slated for 4 p.m.

American Canyon begins the Vine Valley Athletic League playoffs on the road on Tuesday, with a game against Petaluma. The Wolves finished 6-6 in league play this year and are 11-13 overall.

Benicia is 14-8 overall, but just 4-4 in the the Diablo Valley Athletic League. The Panthers will likely need a sweep this week over Alhambra to get in the playoffs. The Panthers are at home on Tuesday and Thursday.

Local softball

The Benicia High softball team is 5-3 in the Diablo Valley Athletic League and still in search of a league title. The Panthers play at home on Tuesday against College Park and then travel to Northgate in their regular season finale on Thursday. The Panthers need to win both games and then need Clayton Valley Charter to lose two games this week for any chance to share a championship.

American Canyon plays Casa Grande on the road in the Vine Valley Athletic League tournament on Wednesday. The Wolves are 12-11 overall and 7-5 in league play, so they may need to win at least one game to guarantee themselves a shot in the North Coast Section playoffs next week.

Vallejo plays at El Cerrito in the Tri-County Athletic League playoffs on Wednesday. Vallejo will need to win at least one game in the tournament to have any kind of chance in the North Coast Section playoffs with the Redhawks being under .500 in league play so far. They are 8-7 overall.

NBA playoffs

It wasn’t the greatest week overall for Bay Area teams playing in Minnesota. The San Francisco Giants were swept by the Twins and the Warriors have lost two in a row at the time of this writing to the Timberwolves.

But despite Steph Curry not being able to play in the playoffs and Draymond Green acting like he doesn’t want to play and instead be fined, the Warriors are somehow still alive.

Golden State played Monday night at home against Minnesota, but even if it lost, Game 5 is still set in the Twin Cities on Wednesday. If a Game 6 is necessary it would be played at the Chase Center on Saturday, although a game time hasn’t been determined yet.

If Curry isn’t able to come back from his injury, the Warriors are likely to lose this series. If he does come back, it’s anyone’s series.

New York shocked everyone by winning the first two games in Boston, but then the Celtics rebounded to take Game 3 over the weekend. Game 4 was Monday and if the Celtics tied up the series up then Wednesday’s Game 5 will be huge. If the Celtics lost on Monday, then a Wednesday win may just be delaying the inevitable for the Celtics.

Indiana is up 3-1 over top-seeded Cleveland, but the Cavaliers can gain some life in the series with a Tuesday win. However, Indiana has looked like the better team in this series.

If Indiana and New York each win their series, then the two will play each other in the semifinals. Whether or not Spike Lee would sit next to Reggie Miller is another question.

Despite Denver getting a new coach recently, the Nuggets are still alive while playing top-seeded Oklahoma City, with the series tied at 2-all. Game 5 is Tuesday.

NHL playoffs

The Dallas Stars and Winnipeg Jets continue their series on Tuesday, with Dallas looking to gain a 3-1 advantage and the Jets trying to tie it up and get back home-ice advantage. The two teams would play Game 5 on Thursday and if necessary, Game 6 on Saturday.

The Edmonton Oilers’ series against the Las Vegas Knights has been epic so far, with Edmonton stealing two games on the road, only to see Vegas win Game 3 with under a second left in regulation. Yes, less than a second. The squads faced off in Game 4 on Monday night, but will continue the series in Las Vegas for Game 5 on Wednesday.

Carolina and Washington played Monday night, but no matter what happens the squads will face off in the nation’s capitol on Thursday.

Florida is looking to become the first team to repeat since 2021, when the Tampa Bay Lightning won two years in a row. The Panthers have a lot of work in front of them, as they look to break Canada’s heart by beating the Maple Leafs. The series is tied at 2-2, with Toronto hosting Game 5 on Wednesday. This is can’t-miss action. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday, with a possible Game 7 on Sunday. Game 7s in the NHL playoffs are about as good as it gets in sports, so don’t make big plans this Sunday.

MLB

The Giants come back home starting Monday to play an important series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Or the Serpientes, with the team having a half dozen uniforms each week. Look, can we just put to rest the City Connect uniforms? Has anyone in the history of ever purchased one of these uniforms and said, “Hell yeah, I’m connected! To my city!”

No, but there is a 50/50 chance they are blind.

None of these uniforms, sans the White Sox or Angels, are decent. The Giants look like a creamsicle. The Dodgers look like pajamas. The Padres ones look they just got back from playing paintball … and lost. The Astros look like they’re trying to sell advertisements for Space Mountain. The Guardians just say the land, like it’s a freaking baseball team in the film, “Waterworld.” Half the other city connect jerseys are just abbreviations. Has anyone actually said, “Let’s go PGH” in the history of the Pittsburgh? Probably not.

The A’s are in Los Angeles this week so you can remember the 1988 World Series. Later in the week you can relive the 1989 World Series when the A’s play in San Francisco. Actually on second thought, let’s not do that. Something about a big earthquake doesn’t give me great nostalgia.

The weekend is part of what MLB is trying to do label as rivalry week. But come on, let’s just call it “Nearest City Week.” Any week in baseball that calls itself a rivalry week that doesn’t have Boston play the Yankees, the Dodgers play the Giants or the Cardinals and Cubs meet is just fooling itself.

However, it will be interesting to see the Mariners and Padres play, as well as the Royals and Cardinals meeting up 40 years after their great World Series in 1985. Plus, the Yankees and Mets play this week. I’m sure Juan Soto will make a lot of new friends.