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University swept the Cal Pokas OVAC Cross Country Championship at Cambridge (Ohio) High School Saturday, led by Josh Edwards and Caroline Kirby.
Although Kirby took second place in the girls’ 5K, the Hawks girls’ team finished fast enough to take the top spot with 74 points. Mia Murphy’s fourth-place finish (19:49) was critical in the win.
Morgantown’s squad, led by Irene Riggs, placed second with 87 points. Riggs won the girls’ race clocking 18:18, more than one minute ahead of Kirby at 19:33. The defending West Virginia Class AAA state champion, Lea Hatcher, did not run.
Edwards won the boys’ race easily, clocking 15:14, far ahead of second-place finisher Owen Brady of New Philadelphia (Ohio). Other than Edwards, a solid effort by Rocco DeVincent (3rd, 16:07) and Jordan Thomas (5th, 16:21) helped the Hawks take first place overall with 36 points.
A wide gap separated UHS and second-place Wheeling Park (94 points), but Park edged Morgantown which finished in third place with 95 points. Quinn Jacquez led MHS, placing sixth with a time of 16:23.
Girls’ soccer
Second-half goals lift University over Weir, 2-0
Emily Lattea and Tristen Bright each scored second-half goals, and University (5-3-1) finally broke down a very stubborn Weir defense to win, 2-0.
Weir (4-5-0) played the first three minutes of the match one player short, in memory of recently deceased sophomore Madison Crowe, while the UHS players wore red wristbands in her honor. The defenses dominated in the first half, with the best chance coming midway through when Hawks forward Lattea hit the crossbar from 20 yards out.
University took control after the break, creating several chances and putting Weir on their heels. Lattea finally broke the game open with a hard shot to the upper corner, and Bright quickly put in goal two with a well-placed, half-volley off of a Heather Brunner corner. Goalie Lizzy Edwards was forced to make an excellent low diving save late to preserve the shutout.
“This was much more about honoring the memory of Madison through soccer than wins and losses,” said UHS coach Graham Peace, “and I hope that we helped just a little bit in the healing process. I think Madison would have been proud of how her team played, and this has been a lesson to all of us as to what is truly important in life.”
UHS is next scheduled to play Bridgeport on Tuesday.
Volleyball
Morgantown splits tri with Huntington, Woodrow Wilson
The Morgantown volleyball team split its tri with Huntington and Woodrow Wilson Saturday, beating the Highlanders in three sets and falling to the Flying Eagles in three.
Alayna Corwin led MHS (7-3) attackers with 21 kills, while Kaitlyn Anderson tacked on 12 more. Corwin also had 22 digs through the two matches. Further, setter Ella Voorhees had 27 digs and Sarah Brown had four aces through a good day of serving.
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