Westmoreland County campus clippings: Norwin grad Brianna Zajicek hits career-high in comeback win

A 15-point halftime deficit meant nothing to Brianna Zajicek.

The Cedarville junior basketball player led a fervent comeback with a career day as the Yellow Jackets rallied past Findlay, 81-80, in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.

Zajicek, a Norwin alum, poured in a career-high 25 points on 7-of-13 shooting and 9-of-9 free throws and also grabbed eight rebounds.

She scored 19 in the second half, including two 3-pointers. She had 10 in the third quarter.

Cedarville trailed 49-34 at halftime before a second-half rally.

Women’s basketball

Saint Vincent: Junior Makenna Maier delivered a layup and a free throw for a three-point play with 8 seconds remaining as the Bearcats defeated Geneva, 76-73, to improve to 11-8 overall and 10-4 in the PAC.

Freshman Brooke Evans assisted on the winning play. Evans had a career-high 13 points and 11 rebounds. She was named the PAC Newcomer of the Week.

Seton Hill: Junior Hallie Cowan had 20 points, junior Helene Cowan added 16 points, nine assists and eight steals and sophomore Mia Kalich registered another double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds as the Griffins won against visiting Slippery Rock, 101-65.

Helene Cowan was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Week. Kalich was named the conference’s defensive player of the week.

Seton Hill moved to 19-2 overall and 13-1 in the PSAC West.

Men’s basketball

Pitt-Greensburg: On the strength of a season-high 25 assists, UPG downed Alfred State, 90-71, as junior Matthew Marinchak (Ligonier Valley) had 20 points and six rebounds.

Junior Joziah Wyatt-Taylor added 17 points and nine rebounds, freshman Ty Keffer (Southmoreland) had 12 points and sophomore Trent Rozich had 11 as the Bobcats (13-7, 7-4) made it 10 wins in 11 games.

Saint Vincent: The Bearcats (15-4, 11-3) ran their winning streak to four with a 59-54 win at Geneva as grad Osyon Jones had 15 points and seven rebounds, and senior Mike Iuzzolino scored 14.

Seton Hill: Junior Gabe Gillespie had 19 points, and sophomore Kedrick Curtis added 16 to power the Griffins past Slippery Rock, 72-52, in PSAC West play.

Seton Hill moved to 13-9 and 6-8.

Washington & Jefferson: Freshman Cam Rowell (Franklin Regional) scored a career-high 21 points and grabbed five steals to lead the Presidents past Bethany, 91-71, in PAC play.

Rowell, the sixth man, made 9 of 15 shots in 24 minutes. He also had five rebounds and two blocks and was named the PAC Newcomer of the Week for the second time this season.

Women’s swimming

Chatham: Freshman Hannah Uhrinek (Hempfield) was named the PAC Swimmer of the Week. Uhrinek set a program record and took fifth place at the Western Pennsylvania Invitational with a time of 2 minutes, 12.13 seconds in the 200-yard butterfly.

Wrestling

Army: Junior Ethan Berginc (Hempfield/Jeannette) won his match at 133 pounds, 2-1, but the Black Knights fell to Lehigh, 27-10.

Bucknell: Fifth-year student Kurt Phipps (Norwin) notched his 100th career win but the Bison fell to Lock Haven, 17-15.

Phipps used a late takedown to defeat No. 16 and two-time All-American Anthony Noto, 4-1, at 133 pounds.

He is just the 11th wrestler at Bucknell to win 100 matches and the first to do it since Tyler Smith (Franklin Regional) in 2018.

Edinboro: Grad student 133-pounder Colton Camacho (Franklin Regional) finished third at the Edinboro Open, recording a pin, a technical fall and a decision before falling in the semifinals and wrestling back.

Ohio: Redshirt junior Garrett Thompson (Franklin Regional) won a 13-1 major decision at 174 pounds for four points as the Bobcats defeated Central Michigan, 18-16, to avenge a loss from the NWCA National Duals.

Pitt-Johnstown: Redshirt junior and No. 5-ranked Isaiah Vance (Hempfield) picked up a 2-0 decision in the heavyweight match as UPJ defeated No. 18 Millersville, 22-11, to move to 11-2 overall and 4-0 in the PSAC.

Redshirt sophomore Noah Gnibus (Mt. Pleasant) also won his match at 184.

Saint Vincent: Freshman Nate Barkley (Derry) picked up a 17-2 win by technical fall as the Bearcats defeated Hiram, 48-6. He was named the PAC Newcomer of the Week.

Washington & Jefferson: Sophomore heavyweight Christian McChesney (Greensburg Salem) sealed a 24-19 victory over Saint Vincent with a pin in 2:56.

Men’s volleyball

Grove City: Freshman Keith Otto (Penn-Trafford) had a season-high 13 kills, and sophomores Andrew Kessler (Penn-Trafford) and Carson Good (Franklin Regional) had eight each to lead the Wolverines to a 3-0 sweep (25-22, 25-21, 25-22) of Curry at the Elmira Invitational.

Penn State: Redshirt senior Will Kuhns (Hempfield) had double-digit kills for the fourth time in five matches with 11, but No. 17 Penn State fell to No. 3 UCLA, 3-0.

Kuhns was named to the all-tournament team at the Big Ten Challenge.

Saint Vincent: Freshman Jackson Genicola (Norwin) was named the PAC Newcomer of the Week. He had 49 assists and 14 digs in a 3-2 loss to Wilkes and added 38 assists and 18 digs in a 3-1 win over Penn State Altoona.

Men’s track and field

Seton Hill: The Griffins placed second at the Muskie Meet No. 2, with the 800-meter relay of sophomore Jacy Willis, sophomore Blaise Verrastro, grad student Andrew Campbell and sophomore Devin Underwood setting a meet and program record with a winning time of 1 minute, 29.80 seconds.

Junior Angelo Allen also set a school record in the shot put (16.24 meters) and weight throw (16.52), as well as a meet record in the shot put.

He won the shot and was third in the weight.

Senior John Giansante (Norwin) won the triple jump at 12.90 meters, and junior Kaden Crump took first in the 800 (1:59.66).

Women’s track and field

Arizona: Senior Mackenna Orie (Hempfield) finished fifth in the weight throw with a personal-best distance of 56 feet, 2 3/4 inches at the Stan Scott Invite at Arkansas.

Clarion: Senior Leah Perry (Derry) finished 12th in the pentathlon at the Mid Major Invitational in Youngstown, Ohio with a score of 2,715.

Duquesne: Senior Hannah Seitzinger (Belle Vernon) broke her own school record in the 800-meter run with a time of 2 minutes, 6.01 seconds at the Penn State National Open.

Seton Hill: The 800-meter relay of freshman Nemani Moon, freshman Artemis Conaboy, junior Layla Robertson (Norwin) and senior Koschinya Jefferson won their race in 1:45.60 for a school and meet record at the Muskie Meet No. 2.

Westminster: Freshman Grace Iwig (Hempfield) was named the PAC Newcomer of the Week after she took fifth in the elite section of the pole vault with a season-best mark of 3.15 meters (11 feet. 3.75 meters) at the SPIRE Midwest Open.

She also placed 13th in the high jump. Her mark of 1.55 meters (5-1) is fifth best in the PAC this season.

Wheeling: Senior Tara Perry (Derry) took sixth place in the high jump with a mark of 1.54 meters at the Youngstown State Mid Major.

Baseball

Cal (Pa.): Junior relief pitcher Jake Kramer (Hempfield) was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association All-Atlantic Region Team.

He also was tabbed a preseason NCBWA first-team All-American.

Kramer went 4-1 last season with a 1.47 ERA in 20 appearances and set a team record with 10 saves.

He is tied for the Vulcans’ all-time saves mark with 16.

Cal is scheduled to begin the season Feb. 15-16 against Mansfield at Wild Things Park in Washington.

Seton Hill: Senior relief pitcher Christian Zilli (Hempfield) and sophomore utility man Owen Mandler were National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association preseason honorable mention selections.

Zilli went 2-1 with a 2.08 ERA and five saves. He struck out 22 in 21 2/3 innings.

Mandler, the PSAC West Freshman of the Year last season, hit .318 with 12 doubles, seven home runs, 38 runs, 15 steals and 37 RBIs.

Men’s lacrosse

Seton Hill: The Griffins are the favorites to take the Great Midwest Conference, according to the preseason coaches’ poll.

They earned nine of 10 first-place votes after finishing 11-6 last season and reaching the GMAC final.

The Griffins also are ranked No. 11 in the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association Coaches Poll, and No. 13 in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Media Poll.

The season opens Feb. 15 against visiting Roberts Wesleyan.

Women’s lacrosse

Seton Hill: In search of a fifth straight conference title, the Seton Hill women were selected No. 1 in the PSAC West preseason coaches’ poll.