Plum, Riverview graduates shine at college level
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Cal Fisher continues to produce for the Penn State men’s volleyball team.
Earlier this week, the Riverview graduate was named the Off the Block National Opposite (Hitter) of the week for his play in the Nittany Lions’ weekend series at nationally ranked George Mason.
Fisher led Penn State, ranked No. 8 in the April 5 American Volleyball Coaches Association Division I poll, with 11 kills in a 3-0 sweep of the No. 14 Patriots on April 2.
The 6-foot-3 junior tallied 21 kills for the third time in his career in the April 3 loss to George Mason. He hit .355 for the weekend and had six service aces, putting his nation-leading total to 43.
Fisher leads all Nittany Lions players in points scored this season with 263.5 through the George Mason series. He also fronts the PSU attack with 211 kills.
There is a correlation between Fisher’s kills production and Penn State’s record. When Fisher records 10 or more kills in a match, the Nittany Lions are 14-1
This is not Fisher’s first honor this season as he was named the AVCA National Player of the Week and Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Defensive Player of the Week on March 22 for his play in a pair of sweeps of No. 11 NJIT on March 19-20.
The versatile Fisher had 27 digs in the two matches, including a career-high 19 in the first win of the series. The 19 digs were the second most in a three-set match by any player in the NCAA this season.
Fisher also produced a combined 23 kills in the two matches.
Lake slugging for Towson
Mackenzie Lake leads the Division I Towson softball team in hitting with a .475 average (28 for 59) through 18 games played, all starts.
The 2019 Plum graduate, a shortstop with the Tigers, hit safely in 15 of those 18 games with nine multi-hit games to her credit.
She also tallied seven doubles, four home runs, 13 RBIs, 16 runs scored and a .797 slugging percentage. Lake’s hits, doubles, home runs and runs scored are team bests.
She was 2 for 3 with two doubles and two runs scored in Towson’s 5-0 win over Coppin State on April 7.
The victory put the Tigers at 9-9 overall.
Schlegel has strong debut
Plum graduate Logan Schlegel, a freshman on the Clarion baseball team, had a standout collegiate debut for the Golden Eagles in a 3-1 win over PSAC rival Slippery Rock on March 19.
Schlegel threw a complete game and gave up just four hits. He struck out six and didn’t walk a batter over his seven innings of work.
For his efforts, Schlegel was named the PSAC West Pitcher of the Week for March 22.
Sante part of unbeaten W&J squad
Plum’s Evan Sante, a sophomore outfielder on the Washington & Jefferson baseball team, helped the Presidents to a 16-0 record after a 9-0 win over Geneva on April 5.
Sante started 15 of the 16 games this year and produced a .255 average (12 for 47) with three doubles, a home run, 8 RBIs, 10 walks and 17 runs scored.
He went a season-best 3 for 4 with a double and three RBIs in a win over Bethany on March 14.
Crossey awarded scholarship
Patrick Crossey, a former member of the Case Western Reserve football team, has been selected a recipient of a $10,000 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.
The scholarship, presented to student-athletes who have excelled on the field, in the classroom and in the community, can be used for part-time or full-time graduate study at a university or professional school.
Crossey, a spring 2020 graduate, is the seventh player in Case Western football history to receive the honor. A four-year starter at safety, he earned All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference three times, including first-team laurels as a junior and a senior.
He finished with career totals of 24 passes defended, eight interceptions and 294 tackles.
Small, Kirkpatrick rolling on
Plum graduates Shannon Small and Sarah Kirkpatrick helped the Duquesne women’s bowling team, in its fifth year as a program, earn its first bid to the NCAA Bowling Championships.
The Dukes picked up one of 10 at-large berths to the tournament that began last Wednesday and was scheduled to conclude Saturday at AMF Pro Bowl Lanes in North Kansas City, Mo.
Duquesne entered the 16-team national tournament with a record of 34-15 overall and a ninth-place spot in the NCAA rankings.
The Dukes finished third at the Northeast Conference tournament behind champion Farleigh Dickenson and runner-up Sacred Heart.