Taylor Gregory moved up to second on the program’s all-time scoring list in leading MVNU to a 62-59 victory over Huntington in a Crossroads League tournament quarterfinal on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at Ariel Arena in Mount Vernon.
Gregory, who went for 19 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and a pair of blocks in the win; surpassed Katie Keller (2003-07), who scored 1,726 points during her career. Gregory now sits at 1,733 points, behind only Amanda Himes (2007-11), who had 2,189.
Maggie Coblentz had 16 points, five rebounds and three steals; and Sage Brannon added eight points, four boards, a pair of assists and a couple of blocks — including one in the final seconds to help preserve the win for MVNU.
Coblentz scored the first seven points and Gregory the last seven points of a 17-2 start for the fourth-seeded Cougars that accounted for their largest lead of the game. MVNU led 22-9 at the end of the first quarter and 37-24 at the break.
The Cougars maintained a double-digit lead through much of the second half. But Sam Vaughn scored seven points during a 12-3 run to close the gap. Her and-1 pulled fifth-seeded Huntington within two with 12 seconds left. Brannon hit a free throw for MVNU, and Vaughn’s game-tying turnaround 3-point attempt at the buzzer fell just short.
Vaughn finished with a game-best 25 points, 14 rebounds and seven steals; and Emily Seboe added 13 points, seven boards and two assists for the Foresters (13-9).
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Jevon Knox scored 32 of his career-high 45 points in the second half to lead an MVNU comeback after being down 11 at the break. The Cougars rolled to a 117-104 victory over host Bethel in the quarterfinals of the Crossroads League tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 24, in Mishawaka, Indiana.
Knox shot 16 of 22 from the field, including a 7-for-9 effort from behind the arc. He made all of his six 3-point attempts in the second half, including one to start a 14-0 run that pulled the sixth-seeded Cougars (9-12) even at 71 with 12:56 remaining.
MVNU went ahead to stay on a Knox basket with 7:57 left, and Clay Hilliard started a 12-3 run in the final minutes to push the lead as high as 13.
Hilliard had 21 points and five assists; Kyle Kegley went for 19 points and 10 rebounds; and Kade Ruegsegger and Eric McLaughlin added 15 points apiece, with McLaughlin pulling down eight rebounds as well for MVNU.
TreVion Crews had a big night for the third-seeded Pilots (20-10) with 44 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
Nathan Aerts had 24 points, seven boards and four helpers; Jared DeHart added 15 points, six assists and four rebounds; and Wesley Burse chipped in 11 points, four rebounds and three assists for Bethel, which led 59-48 at the half.
MEN’S LACROSSE
Dylan Anzalone scored four goals to lead William Penn by MVNU 14-6 in non-conference action on Wednesday, Feb. 24, in Grand Park, Indiana.
Eli Dillon, Cole Huetti and Carter Lucas added two goals apiece for the Statesmen (2-3), who led 5-3 after one quarter before clamping down defensively.
Johnny Grumney scored four goals and added three ground balls to lead the Cougars (1-1).
Eric Garigan stopped 11 shots in goal for William Penn, which won the face-off battle 22-3 and had a 30-14 advantage in ground balls.
Joshua Hageman had 10 saves for MVNU.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Jeff Lamb had 14 kills to lead fourth-ranked Lourdes to a 25-19, 25-15, 25-19 win over MVNU in Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play on Tuesday, Feb. 23, at Ariel Arena in Mount Vernon.
Ian Fields had 30 assists, five blocks and three aces; Guga Heidrich had 10 digs and Harrison McBean had four blocks to lead the Gray Wolves (7-1, 5-1).
Riley Barretto had eight kills, Jaysen Matsumoto had 18 assists, Caden Donaldson had nine digs and two aces, and Luke Funte had a pair of blocks to pace the Cougars (3-5, 3-5).
