The Mount Vernon Nazarene University women’s soccer team ran into a buzzsaw in the NAIA Tournament’s opening round, falling to the University of the Cumberlands 5-0 on Thursday, April 15, in Williamsburg, Kentucky.
Jayden Boelter went for a hat trick and Lauren Navajas Marin added two goals to lead the sixth-ranked Patriots, the top seed of the Williamsburg bracket.
Navajas Marin, Selena Barnett, Alanna Skinner and Ainhoa Camara each assisted on two goals, and Boelter added one assist for the Cumberlands (17-1).
Lilly Jakuszewski stopped 11 shots in goal for the fourth-seeded Cougars (10-7-2).
MEN’S LACROSSE
Ian Ranck scored four goals — all in the second half — as MVNU overcame a 6-2 halftime deficit to knock off Taylor 12-11 on Wednesday, April 14, in Upland, Indiana.
Ranck assisted on four goals including two in the second half to lead the Cougars (4-5).
Jason Laasmar had three goals and eight ground balls, and Jaron Summers added two goals and an assist for MVNU.
Bailey McVay had two goals, Brett Townsend had a goal and an assist, and Joshu Hageman had 11 saves for MVNU.
Carter Prieditis had three goals and three assists, Alex Baum had a goal and two assists, Chad Nelson had 13 ground balls and Nathanael Love stopped 12 shots in goal for the Trojans (6-7).
Kenyon 15, Wooster 8
Joe Boesel scored during a 5-0 run in the second quarter and twice more in a five-point rally in the fourth to help Kenyon roll to a 15-8 win over Wooster in North Coast Athletic Conference play on Tuesday, April 13, in Gambier.
Boesel finished with five goals, Weston Powell had four goals, and Ethan Dewbrey and Mike Matteo added two goals each for the Lords (2-0, 1-0).
Ben Byars had three goals and Ted Wells had two goals for the Fighting Scots (4-2, 4-1).
SOFTBALL
Macee Marcum’s two-run single in the seventh inning lifted MVNU to a 5-4 victory in eight innings at Spring Arbor in Crossroads League play on Wednesday, April 14.
Courtney Knepper had three hits and scored twice, Marcum finished with two hits and Sheridan Sullivan went the distance to notch the win.
The hosts bounced back in Game 2, however, overcoming a two-run first inning deficit to take the lead on a Brookelyn Stafford solo home run in the fourth. Spring Arbor made it stand in a 3-2 win in seven innings.
Marcum and Kaycee Ollis had two hits apiece, Maddison Ruhl and Mackenzie Cook each drove in a run, and Ollis and Ruhl each scored once for MVNU (12-6, 10-6).
Marcum took the hard-luck loss in a complete-game effort.
Kelsey Sturgeon went the distance to get the win for Spring Arbor (14-21, 8-11).
BASEBALL
Kasson Krownapple stole home to give MVNU a 1-0 lead in the second inning. It proved to be all the Cougars needed in a 3-0 win in seven innings over Ohio Christian to salvage a split of a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 13, in Circleville.
Logan Fox struck out seven batters and allowed three hits over five innings to get the win for the Cougars (22-14). Noah Gleason struck out the side in the sixth and Cruz McFadden worked a 1-2-3 seventh with one strikeout to earn the save for MVNU.
The bats were quiet on both sides in Game 1 … until the seventh inning, that is. Thane Wilson hit a pinch-hit two-run home run to give the Trailblazers (8-25) a 2-0 walk-off victory.
Cameron Miller had two of MVNU’s five hits, and Luke Tucker tossed five innings of scoreless ball but didn’t factor in the decision.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Five days after winning a 6-3 decision, Kenyon knocked off rival Denison 8-1 in NCAC play on Wednesday, April 14, at the VandenBerg Courts in Gambier.
The Ladies (2-0, 2-0) swept singles play, with Erika Oku beating Sydney Cianciola 6-3, 6-0; Daria Beshentseva getting a 6-1, 6-3 win over Alex Cash; Victoria Vasquez defeating Sarah Robertson in the match of the day 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-1); Kayla Pukys winning over Hannah Cianciola 2-6, 6-2, 6-2; Ilana Blackwood defeating Monique Brual 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 and Eleni Dakos winning over Devin Gramley 6-1, 7-6 (7-5).
Beshentseva and Oku beat Alex Cash and Hannah Cianciola 8-7 (7-5), and Blackwood and Vasquez beat Robertson and Sydney Cianciola 8-3 for the Ladies.
Gramley and Brual won over Pukys and Erika Pontillo to give the Big Red (3-3, 2-2) their only win of the day.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
Jill Murray scored twice during a 6-0 rally in the first half, and visiting Wooster held off Kenyon 15-11 in NCAC play on Wednesday, April 14, in Gambier.
Murray finished with four goals; Alexa Mellis added three goals; and Miura Wiley, Ashley Boersma and Hannah Shaw added two goals each for the Scots (4-1, 3-0).
Maya Fair had three goals, and Ella Murphy and Tatumn Eccleston added two goals apiece for the Ladies (0-1, 0-1), who pulled within 10-9 midway through the second half.
