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USA Volleyball
OSIJEK, Croatia –Crestview High School graduate and University of Pittsburgh freshman Abbey Emch and Team USA did not have the greatest time on July 4 in the U19 Volleyball World Championships.
The Red, White and Blue suffered its first setback of the tournament as Poland stunned the defending champs 25-23, 23-25, 25-17, 25-27, 16-14 on Friday.
Emch played in the third, fourth and fifth sets and had six kills.
The U.S. (2-1) will return to the court at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday against Bulgaria (2-1). Poland, who brought a boisterous crowd with it, is now 3-0 in Pool C.
The match was as close statistically as the final score would indicate with Poland holding a narrow margin in kills (64-62), the U.S. leading by one in aces (6-5) and each team totaling eight blocks.
Outside hitter Cari Spears scored a team-high 21 points, 13 of which came in the fourth and fifth sets, with 16 kills, a match-best four blocks and an ace. Opposite Henley Anderson paced the team with 19 kills.
Setter Genevieve Harris was all over the court setting, playing defense and contributing seven points with two kills, three blocks and two aces. Outsider hitter Kelly Kinney (seven kills, one ace) and middle blocker Gabrielle Nichols (six kills, one block, one ace) each scored eight points.
Outside Lameen Mambu added four kills.
“Congratulations to Poland on a well-fought match,” U.S. head coach Keegan Cook said. “This is the exact match we hoped for this group to experience in pool play. We will be better for it. We will also need to learn some lessons quickly as Bulgaria and Turkey are both strong opponents. I’m looking forward to seeing our USA team respond.”
The U.S. scored five of the first seven points of the match, but Poland responded with a 7-2 run to take a lead it would not relinquish in the first set. The lead grew to seven, 22-15, before a huge U.S. rally (8-2) made it 24-23 but Poland was able to get a kill to end the set.
Nichols scored five points on four kills and a block that finished a 4-0 run to cut the deficit from seven to three. Kinney and Spears each had three kills and four points.
A Kinney kill on an overpass in set two gave the U.S. its first lead, 7-6, since leading by the same score in the opening set. A Harris block and a Poland timeout evened the score at 14 and led to a Poland timeout. Kinney scored on a kill off a block and Spears followed with two aces, the second dribbling off the tape, for a three-point U.S. lead.
Back-to-back aces by Harris gave the U.S. a 21-17 lead. Poland scored the next three points and had a swing to even the set but a great dig by Harris led to an Anderson kill. Poland did eventually tie the set at 23 but Anderson put a ball down and an opposing hitting error gave the U.S. the set to square the match at one set apiece.
Anderson scored five points on kills, while Harris scored four points on a kill, a block and her two key aces.
With the U.S. leading 8-7 in the third set, Poland scored six of the next seven points to take a 13-9 lead. The U.S. pulled within three points on another Harris block, 15-12, but Poland went on a 5-1 run lead to take control of the set. Anderson produced four kills in the set.
The fourth set was close throughout with the U.S. denying two match points. Spears scored the team’s last five points. The first tied the set at 23 and the second staved off the first match point after Poland could not convert a free ball. Her kill off the block again saved match point and this time tied the set at 25. Spears recorded a block to give the U.S. its first set point and send the match to a fifth set with her 10th point and seventh kill of the set.
An Anderson kill gave the U.S. a 3-2 lead in the deciding set but it would be its last lead of the match. Poland led 13-10 before a kill by Emch and a hitting error brought the U.S. within a point. A tough Anderson serve led to a kill by Mambu to even the set at 13 apiece. Service errors on the last two U.S. serves opened the door for Poland to seal the match. Spears recorded three more kills in the set and Emch added two.
Sports
Indy volleyball coach in viral video charged after allegedly sexting a minor
INDIANAPOLIS — A viral video has led to criminal charges against an Indianapolis volleyball coach accused of sending sexually explicit images to someone he believed was a 14-year-old boy.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced that Levi Garrett, 34, of Danville, faces attempted dissemination of matter harmful to minors, a Level 6 felony, following an independent investigation by the prosecutor’s office.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the charges stem from allegations that on March 2, 2025, Garrett engaged in explicit conversations and sent sexually graphic photos on the dating app Grindr to someone he believed was a minor.
A member of a private online investigative organization used a fake Grindr profile titled “tryna have fun” with a photo portraying themselves as a 14-year-old male named “Josh.” The decoy allegedly engaged with Garrett’s profile, “Hmu & find out.”
During the conversation, court documents show the minor texted Garrett, “U mind if I’m young,” and Garrett replied, “No I don’t mind.” When the decoy told Garrett, “I’m 14 but I down for whatever,” Garrett allegedly “liked” the message and proceeded to send three sexually explicit images, including photos of male genitalia and sexual activity.
The messages also allegedly included language about meeting for sex, with Garrett asking whether the encounter would be “safe or bareback.”
Court records show Garrett initially agreed to meet at a location in Greencastle but later blocked the account.
The case gained widespread attention in August when YouTuber JiDion, who is affiliated with the private investigative group, posted a 26-minute video titled “Volleyball Coach Gets EXPOSED” that has been viewed over 1.2 million times.
In the video, JiDion confronts Garrett at The Academy Volleyball Club located on East 30th Street, showing him screenshots of the alleged text exchanges and explicit photos.
Notably, the video showed several Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers at the scene during the confrontation. When JiDion urged them to arrest the coach, one officer stated, “I have run into this before. Our prosecutor will not touch this,” a response that was controversial to many of JiDion’s followers.
IMPD later responded to the backlash and clarified that the video lacked important context, noting that a police report was filed at the scene, Garrett was trespassed from the property, and detectives were informed about the allegations.
Following the viral incident, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office opened a formal investigation into the allegations.
“There are no shortcuts in the investigative process,” Mears said in a statement Monday. “When it comes to crimes against children, justice demands that an independent investigation occur and evidence be properly obtained, so that a case is built that will hold offenders accountable in a court of law.”
According to the affidavit, body camera footage from the incident shows Garrett identifying himself by name and providing his date of birth and phone number to officers, information that matched the Grindr profile under investigation.
Garrett is scheduled to appear for a change of plea hearing on January 27, 2026, at 9 a.m. in Marion County Superior Court.
Sports
Volleyball Lands Four on CSC Academic All-District Team
To qualify, a student-athlete must hold a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.50, across both undergraduate and graduate courses, if applicable. Athletically, volleyball student-athletes must have either competed in 90% of their team’s contests for the season or started at least 66% of contests.
The list of honorees is below:
Senior Alina Anderson (Rockford, Mich. / Rockford / Ferris State)
Senior Abby Olin (Coopersville, Mich. / Coopersville / Michigan State)
Sophomore Izzy Swiercz (Hudsonville, Mich. / Hudsonville)
Sophomore Grace Thomas (Dublin, Ohio / Dublin Coffman)
Both Anderson and Olin earned the honor for the 2024 season.
For the latest news and updates on CMU Volleyball, follow the team in X (@cmuvolleyball) and on Instagram (@cmuvolleyball).
Sports
Affidavit reveals AI-generated plan in alleged grooming case against Mesquite pastor’s son and volleyball coach
An arrest affidavit obtained by CBS News Texas reveals more details about what led up to the arrest of a teacher and volleyball coach accused of grooming a teenage girl to have a sexual relationship with her, including the discovery of an AI-generated document outlining manipulation tactics.
Matthan Lough, 32, was arrested on Dec. 10 on a charge of child grooming, a third-degree felony. His father, Kevin Lough, was the senior pastor of the Christian Center of Mesquite, where some of the alleged grooming took place.
The victim and her mother filed a report with Mesquite police about Lough on Oct. 2. According to police, the victim’s mother found out about the relationship earlier that week.
Mesquite police: Grooming began more than two years ago
The affidavit outlines how the case began with an interaction at a party in the spring of 2023.
According to the affidavit, the victim met Lough at her cousin’s graduation party when he approached her while she was playing volleyball. The victim recognized Lough from church, as his wife was the worship leader for their youth group. Lough asked her if she would be interested in joining a club volleyball team he wanted to start at the church.
It was not until the fall of 2024 that Lough held tryouts for the team, and the victim was given a spot, the affidavit said. The victim reported a series of unusual interactions with Lough over the following months in which he shared overly personal details about his life and marriage, then began to make flirty and inappropriate jokes, according to the report.
Lough’s inappropriate behavior escalated further over the summer of 2025, when he started sending the victim explicit messages and discussed committing murders, the affidavit said. Lough also repeatedly made sure the victim knew he was carrying a gun, making her fear for her safety.
In September, the affidavit describes the relationship turning physical. Lough allegedly kissed the victim at a church event. Later that month, he sexually assaulted her twice, the victim told police.
The relationship ended after the victim’s mother discovered the inappropriate messages on the victim’s devices. Her mother then contacted Lough’s wife.
Police said that after the victim filed the report, detectives obtained a search warrant and found an AI-generated document on Lough’s iPad titled “Hypothetical Counter-Influence Plan.” The document outlined phases such as “rebuild her autonomy” and “shift the power dynamic,” and provided guidance on how to achieve success.
Fallout from child grooming case
After the relationship was uncovered, police said Lough’s wife left Texas. Court records show she filed for divorce in October.
Lough’s father also resigned as senior pastor of the Christian Center of Mesquite. In a post on the church’s website, its board said the church would work to seek justice for the victim. It also said the church has “initiated an immediate internal review of all child protection policies, volunteer screening processes, and facility access logs to ensure the absolute safety of every child and youth within our care.”
Sports
2025 NCAA women’s volleyball championship: How to watch, schedule
Texas A&M shook up the NCAA women’s volleyball tournament when the No. 3 Aggies upset top-ranked and previously unbeaten Nebraska in their regional final. Now, the Aggies are headed to their first Final Four in program history.
No. 3 Wisconsin, which ousted Texas, another No. 1 seed, on its home court, and No. 1 seeds Kentucky and Pittsburgh join Texas A&M in the national semifinals, which take place Thursday at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
The Aggies will take on Pitt in one semifinal, while Wisconsin and Kentucky will face off in the other. Neither Texas A&M nor the Panthers have won a national championship, though Pitt will play in its fifth straight Final Four. Both Wisconsin (2021) and Kentucky (2020) have won one national title.
Here are key facts about the 2025 NCAA Division I women’s volleyball tournament:
What is the remaining schedule?
*All times Eastern
Thursday, Dec. 18
Semifinal: No. 3 Texas A&M vs. No. 1 Pittsburgh – 6:30 p.m. on ESPN
“NCAA Women’s Volleyball Studio Show” – 8:30 p.m. on ESPN
Semifinal: No. 3 Wisconsin vs. No. 1 Kentucky – 9 p.m. on ESPN
Sunday, Dec. 21
“NCAA Women’s Volleyball Preview Show” – 3 p.m. on ABC
Championship – 3:30 p.m. on ABC
How can fans watch?
Fans can catch all of the action in the ESPN App and in the NCAA women’s volleyball streaming hub.
How can fans access more college sports coverage from ESPN?
Check out the ESPN college sports hub page for the latest news, scores, rankings and more.
Sports
Three Clarkson Volleyball Players Named to CSC Academic All-District List
The 2025 Academic All-District® Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. To be eligible, student-athletes need to be of sophomore standing both athletically and academically, hold a cumulative grade-point average of 3.50 or better, and have participated in 90% of sets or have started at least two-thirds of their respective team’s matches.
Baxter, a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering, was a Liberty League Second-Team All-Star thanks to her excellence in the back row. Baxter ranked 22nd nationally in digs per set (5.40 dps) and was 57th nationally in aces per set (0.63 aps).
Currier, a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, continued to be relied upon in a variety of roles for the Knights, averaging 7.09 assists, 0.95 kills, 2.50 digs, and 0.61 blocks per set. In a match against University of Rochester she nearly posted an incredibly rare feat, coming up just one kill short of a quadruple double (31 assists, 16 digs, 10 blocks, and 9 kills).
Hangliter, a senior majoring in Environmental Engineering, finished the season averaging 2.62 kills per set, which ranked second on the team. She also was second in the Liberty League in aces per set with 0.64, which placed her 49th nationally in that category.
Sports
Three Tennessee Volleyball Players Earn CSC Academic All-District Honors
This marks the first time in program history that three Lady Vols have been named to the Academic All-District Team. In Eve Rackham Watt‘s eight years as head coach, eight total players have earned Academic All-District honors. Tennessee has had two or more players selected to the All-District team now in three seasons, all coming under Rackham Watt.
CSC’s Academic All-America program recognizes the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. Both Kerr and Kubik earned spots on the CSC Academic All-America ballot, which will be announced on January 13, 2026.
Compiling a 3.87 GPA in the Sport Management program, Kerr garnered First Team All-SEC honors after leading the team with 945 assists. Kerr was a key force for a Tennessee attack that finished the season top 15 in both hitting percentage and kills per set. Kerr had 20 matches with 30 or more assists, including tying her career high with 57 against Florida on Oct. 15.
One of the top setters in Tennessee history, Kerr currently ranks sixth all-time in both assists (3,259) and assists per set (10.65). The two-time All-American setter has led the team in assists in each of the last three seasons, eclipsing the 1,000-assist mark in both 2023 & 2024.
Earning her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies, Kubik had her best offensive season of her career in her final collegiate season. Kubik led the team in kills (390), kills per set (4.19), points (431.0), and points per set (4.63) this season. She had double-digit kills in 24 matches, reaching 20 or more on four occasions.
Kubik also ranked top ten in the conference in both kills per set and points per set in 2025. A stellar defender in the back row, Kubik finished third on the team with 209 digs. The First Team All-SEC selection had seven double-doubles on the campaign, all of which came against conference opponents.
Boasting a 4.00 GPA in Communication Studies, Güçtekin became an important piece to Tennessee’s defensive success. The senior libero led the team in 2025 with 408 digs. Güçtekin finished the season ranking top five in the SEC in both digs and digs per set. She recorded double figure digs in 23 matches, including having 20 or more in six. She set a career-high of 30 digs at Kentucky on Nov. 9, becoming the first Tennessee player to reach 30 or more digs since Yelianoz Torres had 30 against Arkansas on Oct. 20, 2023.
Güçtekin eclipsed 1,000 digs in her career this season, and finishes her collegiate career with 1,293 digs. An all-around player in college, Güçtekin also finished with 423 assists and 117 aces.
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