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Westhill, Central Valley Academy baseball get wins at Strike Out Lou Gehrig's Disease …

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Westhill, Central Valley Academy baseball get wins at Strike Out Lou Gehrig's Disease ...

Syracuse, N.Y. — The weather hasn’t cooperated for baseball this week. Still, two games were played at NBT Stadium on Thursday for the Strike Out Lou Gehrig’s Disease Classic.

It’s the 18th year for the event in the Syracuse area.

Event chair Thomas Brown says the hope this year is to raise at least $50,000 to donate to the local chapter of the ALS Association.

Brown said he believes that number is attainable with the expansion of the event in the Rochester and Buffalo areas.

The Western New York part of the event took place over the weekend, with 20 teams taking the field.

The Syracuse area games have had to be moved around due to rain early in the week, but the Westhill vs. New Hartford and Homer vs. Central Valley Academy games were able to go off without a hitch on Thursday.

The first game of the doubleheader was a potential playoff preview between two of the top Class A teams from Section III, and it lived up to the hype.

Westhill defeated New Hartford, 3-1, in its first action since May 1.

“We haven’t been playing much because of the rain,” Westhill coach Ted Klamm said. “Nobody’s been playing. To get a game in is great, but to play a good … they’re a really good ball club. They’ll make noise in the sectionals. They’re a good club. I don’t even remember the last time we played. Felt really good, especially at a place like this.”

Westhill found itself in a hole early.

Spartans’ pitcher Ashton Palmer struck out two Westhill batters in the top half of the first inning and New Hartford scored the first run of the game in the bottom half of the inning when Logan Clarey drove home Peyton Way.

It took Westhill a while to get on the board, but it was worth the wait.

Johnny Murphy opened the top of the fifth inning with a walk and Tommy Hunt followed with a triple past a diving Denny Bloom in right field to tie the game at 1-1.

Dominic Scarfino was the next batter and he hit a sacrifice fly that scored Hunt to put Westhill up 2-1.

One run isn’t a huge lead, but it’s all Anthony Sampo needed.

Sampo spent his varsity career as a catcher but has stepped to the mound this season and has proven to be more than capable.

“I can’t say enough about him, because I pitched my whole life. How difficult it is to pitch,” Klamm said. “And then he’s caught his whole life. And now he’s translating that to a pitcher. I mean, I can’t say enough about him. I mean, he really was sharp. He battled.”

Sampo was tested in the bottom of the fifth inning when New Hartford loaded the bases, but the Westhill ace was unfazed.

He got Michael Brucker to hit a dribbler in front of the catcher, which resulted in the final out of the inning to preserve the lead heading into the sixth inning.

“He’s got nerves of steel,” Klamm said. “He’s a gamer. Whether he’s catching, whether he’s pitching, he’s such a competitor and he’s just a gamer.”

Westhill went ahead by the winning margin when Eric Holstein scored on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth inning.

Sampo finished the game with a final statline of 7.0 innings pitched, four hits, 0 earned runs, two walks and five strikeouts to bring his season totals to 22.0 IP, 15 BBs, 33 Ks, 13 hits with a 0.64 ERA.

The win was big, but being part of a game serving a bigger cause was equally important to Klamm.

”It’s very important and I know our kids understand that raising money and knowing what we’re playing for,“ Klamm said. ”Because there’s people suffering right now. And if we can do something medically, we do a lot for cancer, we do a lot for AIDS. We do a lot. We do a lot now for ALS, and it’s a bad disease.”

Westhill moves to 7-3 with the win and New Hartford falls to 5-3.

The second game was more lopsided.

Central Valley Academy walked away with a dominant 12-3 win over Homer.

The Thunder used a seven-run second inning to break the game open and never looked back.

For CVA coach Eric Moreau, getting the early lead was important for momentum in the game, but also provided him the opportunity to get all 17 of his players on the Minor League Baseball field to give everyone a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“We’re fortunate enough to play in this game the last couple of years,” Moreau said. “Having that big inning allowed me to make sure that I got — you know, we got 17 guys, 17 guys played today.”

In that second inning, the Thunder capitalized on a multitude of errors from the Trojans to put themselves in the driver’s seat.

Homer committed four errors in the inning and CVA took advantage of every one.

“We took advantage of some of the miscues that they had,” Moreau said. “But we did what we needed to do to win the game.”

Frankie Hanningan was stellar on the mound for CVA in the win.

The sophomore was dialed in, throwing 6.0 innings, surrendering five hits, one walk, three earned runs and striking out eight.

Homer rallied to score three runs in the fifth inning, but could never really put a dent in the deficit and came away empty-handed Thursday evening.

Sophomore Lyle Hopkins led the Trojans (2-8) with a two-RBI performance.

Along with Hanningan’s solid pitching, CVA was aided by all-around offensive effort led by two RBIs each from Calvin Jacquays and Casey Ossont.

The win improves CVA to 3-5 on the year, but like Westhill’s Klamm, Moreau knows these games are bigger than just a win or loss on the diamond.

“My high school baseball coach, Dave Appleton, is one of the leaders in raising the money for this cause,” he said. “Where I teach at — Frankfort-Schuyler — we had a guidance counselor who passed away with ALS. So it kind of is an important thing to me to be able to come here and raise the funds for a great cause. … We feel that we have to do our part to pay it forward and raise the money.”

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Long Beach State Sweeps Lindenwood In Season Opener

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LONG BEACH, Calif. – Playing its first official match of the 2026 season after capturing the 2025 national championship, Long Beach State opened the year with a straight-set victory over Lindenwood on Friday afternoon inside the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid. The Beach controlled play throughout the match, earning a 3-0 win to begin the season at home.

The Beach set the tone early in the opening set, weathering a stretch of serving errors from both teams before gaining separation midway through the frame. After Lindenwood briefly surged ahead, Long Beach State responded with strong play at the net and efficient sideout execution. Wojciech Gajek and Alex Kandev helped spark the offense, while the Beach used a late run to pull ahead. A service ace by Skyler Varga brought up set point, and Kandev closed the frame with a kill to give Long Beach State a 25-21 advantage.

Long Beach State took control in the second set behind dominant blocking and improved efficiency. After trailing early, the Beach rallied with a series of kills and net violations by Lindenwood to flip the momentum. A successful challenge swung the score in Long Beach State’s favor, igniting a decisive run that pushed the Beach into the media timeout with a lead. The Beach continued to apply pressure defensively, recording multiple stuff blocks, and an ace from Jake Pazanti sealed a convincing 25-16 win.

The third set proved more competitive, with Lindenwood creating early separation and forcing Long Beach State to respond. The Beach chipped away behind steady sideout play and timely serving, eventually evening the score and pulling ahead late. Ben Braun and Gajek anchored the defense at the net, while Long Beach State capitalized on Lindenwood errors to extend the lead. A triple block on match point ended the contest, securing a 25-20 victory and the sweep.

Skyler Varga and Alex Kandev paced the Beach with nine kills apiece, while Gajek added six kills. Braun finished with four kills on .500 hitting and was part of a strong blocking effort that saw Long Beach State total 12 team blocks. Pazanti directed the offense with 24 assists, and the Beach hit .338 as a team while holding Lindenwood to a .000 hitting percentage.

Long Beach State returns to action Saturday afternoon when the Beach host No. 13 McKendree at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid



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BYU men’s volleyball season preview: Transfers boost Cougars for 2026 | News, Sports, Jobs

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1 / 5

The BYU men’s volleyball team huddles in a match at UC Irvine on Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Athletics

2 / 5

BYU’s Trent Moser (9) takes a swing over a triple block from Long Island during a men’s college volleyball match at the Smith Fieldhouse on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024.

Courtesy BYU Photo

3 / 5

Junior setter Tyler Herget (3) came off the bench to lead No. 5 BYU to a 3-2 victory at No. 6 Ball State on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.

Courtesy BYU Photo

4 / 5

BYU men’s volleyball coach Shawn Olmstead (left) reacts to a play on the court during an MPSF match against Stanford at the Smith Fieldhouse on Friday, April 14, 2023.

Courtesy BYU Photo

5 / 5

BYU’s Teilon-Jonathan Tufuga attacks the ball against the Harvard block in a men’s college volleyball match at the Smith Fieldhouse on Monday, March 17, 2025.

Harold Mitchell, Special to the Herald


At the conclusion of the 2025 season, BYU men’s volleyball head coach Shawn Olmstead held a final team meeting.

It was a chance for Olmstead to say good-bye to his seniors.

“We gave them huge hugs, told them thanks for everything, asked them to be our biggest fans and to continue to support us, then we dismissed them,” Olmstead said.

After the seniors left, Olmstead turned and looked at the eight remaining players: Two liberos, one setter, two middles, no right side and three outsides, two of which he was going to have to let go due to roster limits.

“It was the scariest sight I’ve ever had in my college coaching career,” Olmstead admitted.

Olmstead was excited about his incoming freshman class but concerned about going into the offseason without the experience of seniors Luke Benson, Miks Ramanis, Teon Taylor, Noa Haine and Keoni Thiim in the gym.

In April, Grand Canyon decided to cut its very successful men’s volleyball program and four talented Antelopes came on board, including former Cougar Trent Moser.

It’s no wonder Olmstead is optimistic for 2026.

“We got the GCU boys and that immediately changed everything,” Olmstead said. ” They brought experience and a breath of fresh air. We don’t need to entirely rely on these freshmen, so that was really big time. The former GCU coach (Jon Girten) was just texting me today saying he can’t wait to watch us play and he was rooting for us.”

The Cougars were picked to finish fifth in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and eighth in the AVCA preseason Top 25 poll.

Where were we?

BYU was 7-5 in MPSF play in 2025 and earned the No. 3 seed in the league tournament. The Cougars battled No. 6 Stanford but lost in five sets to end up 19-10 overall and No. 8 in the final AVCA poll.

BYU was second in the country in home attendance (3,994) and memorably sold out the Smith Fieldhouse on back-to-back nights against Hawaii.

Benson was first team All-MPSF and earned honorable mention AVCA All-American honors. Ramanis fought injury issues all season but was named second team All-MPSF.

New faces

Counting Moser, there are 11 newcomers on the BYU roster in 2026.

Moser, a 6-foot-7 senior pin hitter, posted 305 kills for the Cougars in 2023 and 2024 before transferring to Grand Canyon, where last season he totaled 274 kills (2.88 per set) and hit .318 for the Antelopes.

“The biggest thing for Trent is that he’s made a lot of personal growth,” Olmstead said. “He’ll tell you that. He got married, he got a lot stronger mentally and has the right priorities, what to focus on. Trent brings size, physicality and leadership. I’ve put it on him to help the young kids because he’s had unbelievable experience, and that’s brought great team culture.”

Moser is joined by three other GCU refugees in Kyle Zediker (6-5 So. S), Connor Oldani (6-5 So. RS) and Max Phillipe (6-6 Fr. MB). Olmstead said his three starting pin hitters will be Moser, 6-5 junior Teilon-Jonathan Tafuga (1.88 kills per set, .268 in 2025) and Oldani, who has moved to the right side.

“Connor is a team player with a great attitude,” Olmstead said. “We came back from Christmas and felt like we needed to get him reps on the right side. We went to him last week and said, ‘Connor, you’re one of our three best pin hitters and we want to get all three of them on the floor.’

“There was no pause in his response. He just said, ‘I’ll do whatever you want.’”

Oldani was a second team AVCA All-American at Brophy High School in Arizona before starting his college career at GCU.

The future

The freshman class includes two-time Utah 5A state MVP Trey Thornton (6-6 OH), legacy outside hitter Corbin Batista (son of former Cougar standout Victor Batista), Trevor Herget (6-3 OH), AJ Cottle (6-8 MB), returned missionary Tennison Lighthall (6-6 OH/OPP), Tyler James Johnson (6-0 S) and Phillipe.

“Our freshmen are good but they are still navigating things,” Olmstead said. “We need to get a pulse on that but what you’re going to see across the board is a volleyball level and a physicality we’ve never had with that many kids together in a freshman class. I can tell you that Trevor Herget just flies out of the gym and Tennison came back from his mission a man among boys.”

Running it back

The Cougars are solid at setter with 6-2 senior Tyler Herget (9.59 assists, 1.62 digs per set) returning for his third season as the starter.

“Tyler is just our ‘Steady Eddie,’” Olmstead said. “I’m not the kind of coach that’s looking to recruit for flashy and Tyler has exactly what we’re looking for in a setter. He’s coachable and looks at the game like I do. It’s his last year, his last hurrah and we’re excited for him.”

The libero spot will be held down by 6-0 senior Jackson Fife (294 career digs), another two-year starter. Versatile Bernardo Adam (6-3 Sr. libero) has great energy and serving specialist Ian Little (6-5 Jr. OH) is a lefty who can contribute.

In the middle, the competition has been strong between Cottle, returner Gavin Chambers (6-9 So.) and Phillipe to replace Taylor and Niko Hales, who started as a freshman and is serving a church mission in Barcelona, Spain.

The schedule

Olmstead has never shied away from playing big matches, but the expansion of the men’s college game has created a different kind of schedule for the Cougars in 2026. Some of it is built in: Concordia, Menlo College and Vanguard have joined the MPSF in the past few seasons and this year the addition of UC Merced and Jessup makes it a 10-team league.

In an effort to help grow the men’s game, BYU opens with a pair of matches against St. Francis and also plays Lincoln Memorial, Merrimack and Fort Valley.

There are still those big matches as well, with the Cougars facing No. 6 UC Irvine and No. 17 UCSB in the non-conference and No. 9 Stanford, No. 4 Pepperdine, No. 5 USC and top-ranked UCLA in MPSF play.

Outlook

The NCAA had expanded the post-season tournament to 12 teams, which is a big deal for a BYU program that has been just short of qualification throughout the past dozen years. Tough facts: The Cougars have ended their season with a five-set loss ten times since 2004. More recently, BYU’s past four losses in the MPSF Tournament have all be in five sets.

“Right now I can tell you the kind of team were are,” Olmstead said. “We’ve been very consistent. We’re a pretty physical group and can still get a little more fine tuned. There is unbelievable effort on every play, which we need. I think we’ll have better floor defense than what we’ve had in the past. We’ve been a dominant blocking program but I felt like we were not giving ourselves enough chances with our defense. We’ve talked a lot about that, about putting our guys in situations where they need to find a way to win, to be assertive and smart. I think we’ve got some guys like that this year who aren’t afraid to put the team on their shoulders.”

BYU Men’s Volleyball

Five Things to Watch in 2026

1. Introduction are in order

BYU fans will need to consult the game program to get it all straight with 11 players who weren’t on last year’s roster.

2. Welcome home

Trent Moser, who played for the Cougars in 2023 and 2024, transferred to Grand Canyon and had a terrific year in 2025. He’s back — bringing three other GCU players with him — and will make a huge difference as one of BYU’s top pin hitter.

3. Gaining momentum

There are some huge MPSF matches at the end of the regular season schedule, so it will be important for the Cougars to pick up good wins and confidence in the non-conference.

4. Home sweet home

The Smith Fieldhouse continues to be the hottest ticket on campus and one of the best places in the country to watch a college volleyball match. Last year, BYU was second in the country in average home attendance (3,994).

5. Big finish

BYU’s last four losses in the MPSF Tournament have all been in five sets. Somehow, the Cougars need to find a way to come out on top in close matches to get to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021.

Copyright © 2026 Ogden Newspapers of Utah, LLC | www.heraldextra.com | 1200 Towne Centre Blvd. STE 1058, Provo, UT 84601



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No. 5 USC Men’s Volleyball Opens 2026 Against Spartans

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LOS ANGELES – No. 5 USC men’s volleyball (0-0) opens the 2026 season on Saturday (Jan. 10) at home against St. Thomas Aquinas (0-0). The Trojans and Spartans meet for the first time with first serve set for 5 p.m. PT at Galen Center.
 
The Trojans were 11-3 on their home floor last spring and are 7-3 in season openers under 11th-year head coach Jeff Nygaard. USC returns the lion’s share of a squad that ranked as high as No. 3 in 2025, finished second in the MPSF standings, and advanced to the conference championship match. Five Trojan returners were recognized by the AVCA’s All-America committee including first-team selection OH Dillon Klein and second-team choice MB Parker Tomkinson. S Caleb Blanchette, LIB Johnny Dykstra, and OH Sterling Foley all received All-America honorable mention.
 
Among notable departures, USC will need to replace points scored by OPP Jack Deuchar and must find someone to step in for the departed MB Guy Genis. OPP Noah Roberts and OH Christian Connell were each notable contributors last season and the Trojans benefit from the return of MB Wesley Smith who sat out the 2025 season due to injury.

MATCH #1Saturday, January 10 • 5 p.m. PT

No. 5 USC (0-0) vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (0-0)

Galen Center • Los Angeles, Calif.

SERIES RECORD: First meeting

TV/STREAM: B1G+ (Andrew Giesler & Alex Buettgen)

OPPONENT WEBSITE: STACAthletics.com

FIRST SERVE (TL;DR)

  • USC is led by 11th-year head coach Jeff Nygaard, a three-time Olympian in indoor and beach volleyball and a two-time NCAA champion.
  • The Trojans are ranked fifth in the AVCA Preseason Coaches Poll.
  • USC is 35-21 all-time in season openers; 7-3 under Nygaard.
  • For the third year in a row, USC will open its season with an opponent it meets for the first time: Fort Valley State (2024), Daemen (2025).
  • Last year, the Trojans went 11-3 at home and only lost to a No. 2-ranked UC Irvine and twice to 13th-ranked Stanford.
  • USC returns five players that were recognized by the AVCA All-America committee in 2025 including first-team choice OH Dillon Klein and second-team selection MB Parker Tomkinson. S Caleb Blanchette, OH Sterling Foley, and LIB Johnny Dykstra each received All-America honorable mention.
  • The Men of Troy will play 16 home matches in 2026 and will play in Southern California for all but two regular-season matches (at BYU, April 10-11).
  • In 2025, the Trojans the NCAA in blocks (2.86 bps) and led the MPSF in kills (13.11 kps, 5th NCAA), assists (12.24 aps, 3rd NCAA), and digs (8.82 dps). USC was also second in the MPSF in hitting percentage (.344, 4th NCAA).



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Volleyball Adds Two Transfers for 2026

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ROCK HILL, S.C. — Winthrop University volleyball Head Coach Heather Gearhart has announced two transfers to Rock Hill for the 2026 squad, Kimanni Rugley, a middle blocker from Pearland, Texas and Cami Roberts, a setter from Myrtle Beach, S.C. 


Kimanni Rugley | Middle Blocker | 6’1 | Pearland, Texas | North Dakota 

Rugley is joining the Eagles after spending her freshman season at North Dakota, where she appeared in 66 sets, totaling 77 kills, 107.0 points, 42.0 total blocks all while hitting a .232 clip. 

Rugley hit a career-high .818 with nine kills against UT Martin, for the highest hit percentage in a five-set match in UND history and achieved seven games with five or more kills. 

In her high school career, finished as a senior with a .449 attack percentage, ranking among the top 45 marks nationally and fourth in the state of Texas. She was a three-time All-District selection, earning first-team honors in 2022 and 2023, and was named conference offensive player of the year twice (2022, 2023) after being tabbed conference defensive player of the year in 2021. She was named conference MVP in 2023, earned two All-America selections, and was part of 143 wins over four seasons at PHS. 

Rugley on why she chose Winthrop: 
“The campus and gym are really gorgeous, after talking with Coach Heather and hearing about the goals she has for the team it was not only best for her but best for me and the team and I’m so excited to become a part of the group.” 

Gearhart on Rugley: 
“I am excited to have Kimanni join us after a strong start to her collegiate career. She will strengthen our middle group and be a great physical presence on both sides of the ball. The energy she plays with is infectious, and we are excited to have her personality join our group. She is going to add a lot to our program on and off the court right away.” 


Cami Roberts | Setter | 6’0 | Myrtle Beach, S.C. | Johnson County CC 

Roberts is joining Winthrop after a year at Johnson County Community College in Kansas, after playing in 29 sets, totaling 148 assists for 5.10 assists per set. 

Roberts collected a career-high 38 assists against Central Methodist University JV in just three sets. 

The South Carolina native won districts with Grand Strand Juniors/Coast United and punched a ticket to the national tournament and was ranked 9th nationally. 

Off the court, Roberts was the vice president and one of the founders at my club called the One Love club in high school and went to Washington D.C. to speak to representatives to get it placed in all high schools and I was a leader at FCA at my previous university. 

Roberts on why she chose Winthrop: 
“I chose Winthrop because I absolutely fell in love with the campus and the people when I went my junior year and also, I wanted to be closer to home because I’m a big family girl. And I just love the environment and Rock Hill in general.” 

Gearhart on Roberts: 
“I am looking forward to adding Cami to our program after having known her for several years. She is a very steady competitor and will add a calm demeanor on the second contact for us. Cami has a ton of potential still left in her game, and I am excited to see her development take off in our gym. She is a well-rounded person in general that will fit right in with our culture, and I am so happy to have her back in her home state.” 


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To keep up with the latest news on the Winthrop volleyball program by following on social media (Twitter / Instagram / Facebook).





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Men’s Volleyball vs Daemen on 1/9/2026 – Box Score

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UCSD subs: Hornyak, Ethan.



UCSD subs: Hornyak, Ethan.






UCSD subs: Ewert, Josh; Bartelt, Will; Powell, Aidan.



UCSD subs: Ewert, Josh; Bartelt, Will; Powell, Aidan.




UCSD


1-0


[Powell, Aidan] Kill by Wieberg, Billy (from Giraud, Jariel).



[Powell, Aidan] Kill by Wieberg, Billy (from Giraud, Jariel).

1


Daemen

0




Daemen


2-0


[Wieberg, Billy] Service ace (Sani, Sebastiano).



[Wieberg, Billy] Service ace (Sani, Sebastiano).

2


Daemen

0




Daemen


2-1


[Wieberg, Billy] Kill by Selcho, Peter (from Wurl, Cameron).



2


UC San Diego

1

[Wieberg, Billy] Kill by Selcho, Peter (from Wurl, Cameron).




UCSD


2-2


[Selcho, Peter] Service ace (Rooney, Jack).



2


UC San Diego

2

[Selcho, Peter] Service ace (Rooney, Jack).




UCSD


2-3


[Selcho, Peter] Kill by Sani, Sebastiano (from Wiemelt, Leo), block error by Giraud, Jariel.



2


UC San Diego

3

[Selcho, Peter] Kill by Sani, Sebastiano (from Wiemelt, Leo), block error by Giraud, Jariel.




UCSD


3-3


[Selcho, Peter] Kill by Mullen, Patrick (from Giraud, Jariel).



[Selcho, Peter] Kill by Mullen, Patrick (from Giraud, Jariel).

3


Daemen

3




Daemen


3-4


[O’Neil, Maverick] Service error.



3


UC San Diego

4

[O’Neil, Maverick] Service error.




UCSD


4-4


[Pravednikov, Leo] Service error.



[Pravednikov, Leo] Service error.

4


Daemen

4




Daemen


5-4


[Giraud, Jariel] Attack error by Sani, Sebastiano (block by Mullen, Patrick; Leicht, Peter).



[Giraud, Jariel] Attack error by Sani, Sebastiano (block by Mullen, Patrick; Leicht, Peter).

5


Daemen

4




Daemen


6-4


[Giraud, Jariel] Attack error by Pravednikov, Leo (from Wurl, Cameron).



[Giraud, Jariel] Attack error by Pravednikov, Leo (from Wurl, Cameron).

6


Daemen

4




Daemen


7-4


[Giraud, Jariel] Attack error by Sani, Sebastiano (from Giraud, Jariel).



[Giraud, Jariel] Attack error by Sani, Sebastiano (from Giraud, Jariel).

7


Daemen

4




Daemen


7-5


[Giraud, Jariel] Service error.



7


UC San Diego

5

[Giraud, Jariel] Service error.




UCSD


8-5


[Sani, Sebastiano] Kill by Rooney, Jack (from Zelasko, Kyle).



[Sani, Sebastiano] Kill by Rooney, Jack (from Zelasko, Kyle).

8


Daemen

5




Daemen


8-6


[Rooney, Jack] Attack error by Wieberg, Billy (block by Wurl, Cameron; Wiemelt, Leo).



8


UC San Diego

6

[Rooney, Jack] Attack error by Wieberg, Billy (block by Wurl, Cameron; Wiemelt, Leo).




UCSD


9-6


[Wiemelt, Leo] Kill by Mullen, Patrick (from Zelasko, Kyle).



[Wiemelt, Leo] Kill by Mullen, Patrick (from Zelasko, Kyle).

9


Daemen

6




Daemen


9-7


[Leicht, Peter] Service error.



9


UC San Diego

7

[Leicht, Peter] Service error.




UCSD


10-7


[Wurl, Cameron] Kill by Wieberg, Billy (from Zelasko, Kyle).



[Wurl, Cameron] Kill by Wieberg, Billy (from Zelasko, Kyle).

10


Daemen

7




Daemen


11-7


[Mullen, Patrick] Attack error by Pravednikov, Leo (from Wurl, Cameron).



[Mullen, Patrick] Attack error by Pravednikov, Leo (from Wurl, Cameron).

11


Daemen

7




Daemen


11-8


[Mullen, Patrick] Kill by Pravednikov, Leo (from Sani, Sebastiano).



11


UC San Diego

8

[Mullen, Patrick] Kill by Pravednikov, Leo (from Sani, Sebastiano).




UCSD


11-9


[Powell, Aidan] Kill by Sani, Sebastiano (from Wurl, Cameron).



11


UC San Diego

9

[Powell, Aidan] Kill by Sani, Sebastiano (from Wurl, Cameron).




UCSD


12-9


[Powell, Aidan] Kill by Giraud, Jariel (from Wieberg, Billy).



[Powell, Aidan] Kill by Giraud, Jariel (from Wieberg, Billy).

12


Daemen

9




Daemen


13-9


[Wieberg, Billy] Attack error by Selcho, Peter (from Wurl, Cameron).



[Wieberg, Billy] Attack error by Selcho, Peter (from Wurl, Cameron).

13


Daemen

9




Daemen


13-10


[Wieberg, Billy] Service error.



13


UC San Diego

10

[Wieberg, Billy] Service error.




UCSD


14-10


[Selcho, Peter] Service error.



[Selcho, Peter] Service error.

14


Daemen

10




Daemen


14-11


[O’Neil, Maverick] Service error.



14


UC San Diego

11

[O’Neil, Maverick] Service error.




UCSD


15-11


[Pravednikov, Leo] Service error.



[Pravednikov, Leo] Service error.

15


Daemen

11






UCSD subs: Luers, John; Bartelt, Will.



UCSD subs: Luers, John; Bartelt, Will.




Daemen


15-12


[Giraud, Jariel] Kill by Bartelt, Will (from Luers, John).



15


UC San Diego

12

[Giraud, Jariel] Kill by Bartelt, Will (from Luers, John).




UCSD


16-12


[Sani, Sebastiano] Service error.



[Sani, Sebastiano] Service error.

16


Daemen

12




Daemen


16-13


[Rooney, Jack] Service error.



16


UC San Diego

13

[Rooney, Jack] Service error.




UCSD


17-13


[Wiemelt, Leo] Attack error by Bartelt, Will (from Sani, Sebastiano).



[Wiemelt, Leo] Attack error by Bartelt, Will (from Sani, Sebastiano).

17


Daemen

13






Daemen subs: Basinski, Jake.



Daemen subs: Basinski, Jake.




Daemen


17-14


[Basinski, Jake] Kill by Selcho, Peter (from Luers, John).



17


UC San Diego

14

[Basinski, Jake] Kill by Selcho, Peter (from Luers, John).




UCSD


17-15


[Wurl, Cameron] Attack error by O’Neil, Maverick (from Giraud, Jariel).



17


UC San Diego

15

[Wurl, Cameron] Attack error by O’Neil, Maverick (from Giraud, Jariel).




UCSD


18-15


[Wurl, Cameron] Kill by Mullen, Patrick (from Giraud, Jariel).



[Wurl, Cameron] Kill by Mullen, Patrick (from Giraud, Jariel).

18


Daemen

15




Daemen


19-15


[Mullen, Patrick] Kill by Wieberg, Billy.



[Mullen, Patrick] Kill by Wieberg, Billy.

19


Daemen

15




Daemen


20-15


[Mullen, Patrick] Attack error by Pravednikov, Leo (from Wurl, Cameron).



[Mullen, Patrick] Attack error by Pravednikov, Leo (from Wurl, Cameron).

20


Daemen

15




Daemen


20-16


[Mullen, Patrick] Kill by Sani, Sebastiano (from Wurl, Cameron).



20


UC San Diego

16

[Mullen, Patrick] Kill by Sani, Sebastiano (from Wurl, Cameron).




UCSD


21-16


[Powell, Aidan] Service error.



[Powell, Aidan] Service error.

21


Daemen

16




Daemen


22-16


[Wieberg, Billy] Service ace (Selcho, Peter).



[Wieberg, Billy] Service ace (Selcho, Peter).

22


Daemen

16




Daemen


22-17


[Wieberg, Billy] Kill by Sani, Sebastiano (from Wurl, Cameron).



22


UC San Diego

17

[Wieberg, Billy] Kill by Sani, Sebastiano (from Wurl, Cameron).




UCSD


23-17


[Selcho, Peter] Kill by O’Neil, Maverick (from Giraud, Jariel).



[Selcho, Peter] Kill by O’Neil, Maverick (from Giraud, Jariel).

23


Daemen

17






Daemen subs: Bly, Johnaustin.



Daemen subs: Bly, Johnaustin.




Daemen


23-18


[Bly, Johnaustin] Service error.



23


UC San Diego

18

[Bly, Johnaustin] Service error.




UCSD


24-18


[Pravednikov, Leo] Kill by Rooney, Jack (from Giraud, Jariel).



[Pravednikov, Leo] Kill by Rooney, Jack (from Giraud, Jariel).

24


Daemen

18




Daemen


24-19


[Giraud, Jariel] Service error.



24


UC San Diego

19

[Giraud, Jariel] Service error.




UCSD


24-20


[Sani, Sebastiano] Kill by Mullen, Patrick (from Giraud, Jariel), block error by Wurl, Cameron.



24


UC San Diego

20

[Sani, Sebastiano] Kill by Mullen, Patrick (from Giraud, Jariel), block error by Wurl, Cameron.




UCSD


24-21


[Sani, Sebastiano] Attack error by Rooney, Jack (block by Wiemelt, Leo; Powell, Aidan).



24


UC San Diego

21

[Sani, Sebastiano] Attack error by Rooney, Jack (block by Wiemelt, Leo; Powell, Aidan).




UCSD


25-21


[Sani, Sebastiano] Attack error by Pravednikov, Leo (block by Leicht, Peter).



[Sani, Sebastiano] Attack error by Pravednikov, Leo (block by Leicht, Peter).

25


Daemen

21






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Sports

Ramblers Defeat Rainbow Warriors in Marathon Match

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Honolulu, Hawaii – Loyola Chicago earned its first win of the 2026 season in dramatic fashion, knocking off No. 2 Hawai’i in a four-set thriller on Friday, Jan. 9. The Ramblers piled up 15 blocks on the way to victory, stunning over 6,650 fans at the Stan Sheriff Center. 

Aleksandar Sosa was a menace on the court, pacing Loyola’s attack with a match-high 19 kills on .378 hitting and earning himself Player of the Game. Setter Ryan McElligott recorded a double-double behind 40 assists and 11 digs. Libero JJ Sowa also reached double-digit digs (14) and from the front row, Aidan Klein, Daniel Fabikovic and Brad Bell each contributed six blocks. 

Coach Quote: Shane Davis

“I’m incredibly proud of how our guys responded tonight. This team showed toughness, maturity and belief. Aleksandar Sosa was huge for us tonight, he played with confidence and just had fun. This was a total team effort, between Ryan and Jake Read, our middles; it was a big step forward for us early in the season.”

How It Happened

SET 1 | The Ramblers set the tone early, trading points through the opening stretch before pulling ahead behind strong play at the net and service line. The front row had six blocks, led by Brad Bell (3), and McElligott served four aces, including the set-winner. Sosa powered the offense with eight kills and Loyola took the first set 25-23. 

SET 2 | Loyola built on a set-one win by securing a 25-22 victory in the second. Neither team led by more than two for most of the frame, which saw 15 tied scores and five lead changes. After the lead changed hands four times, the Ramblers took control at 22-21 and had the advantage through the end. Read stuffed the set-winning block to take a commanding 2-0 lead. 

SET 3 | Hawai’i refused to go quietly and avoided a sweep with a third-set win to make it 2-1. The Rainbow Warriors erased a seven point Ramblers’ lead and tied the nail-biting frame at 23-23 before taking it 26-24. 

SET 4 | Determined to close it out, Loyola jumped out early in the fourth set, using its block and serve to disrupt Hawai’i’s momentum. Fabikovic led the offense with five kills and helped the Ramblers’ defense frustrate the Rainbow Warriors into errors. Hawai’i made a late push, but Loyola answered every run and sealed the match on a block by Bell and Fabikovic. 

Inside the Box Score

  • Read was a game-changer, contributing eight kills, eight digs, three blocks (one solo, two assists), two assists and an ace. 
  • Klein recorded a career-high six blocks and his best hitting clip to date (.538). 
  • McElligott had a career-high five services aces and matched his career-high 11 digs.

Up Next

The Ramblers head to the First Point Collegiate Challenge in Phoenix, Ariz. to face the Stanford Cardinals (Jan. 17) and UCLA Bruins (Jan. 18). 



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