Crestview grad plays for team USA

OSIJEK, Croatia — Crestview High School graduate and University of Pittsburgh freshman Abbey Emch played briefly in Team USA’s 22-25, 25-16, 25-12, 25-23 victory over Spain in a Pool C opening match at the U19 World Volleyball Championships.

Emch, a middle blocker, had a kill in the third set.

With lopsided wins in the second and third sets, the U.S. dominated statistically in a competitive match with margins of eight in kills (42-34) and aces (11-3) and seven in blocks (15-8).

Four U.S. players reached double digits in points with middle blocker Gabrielle Nichols scoring 14 points on nine kills, four blocks and an ace, and outside hitter Cari Spears leading the squad with 13 kills and adding an ace for 14 points as well. Setter Genevieve Harris ran the offense while contributing a block and two aces.

“The feeling of wearing the flag across our chest is unmatched. We had a battle in the first match, but we are now onto processing our mistakes, celebrating the coups and improving our overall game to be prepared for the next challenge,” Harris said.

Opposite Henley Anderson recorded a match-high five blocks, including three key blocks in the fourth set, to go with seven kills for 12 points. Middle Jordan Taylor totaled 10 points on five kills, three blocks and two aces.

The U.S. took a quick 10-5 lead in the first set before Spain returned from a timeout to score eight of the next nine points. From there, there were multiple lead changes and the only three-point difference the rest of the way came when Spain won the set. Nichols recorded three blocks in the set and added a kill, and Kelly Kinney scored three points on kills.

With an 8-7 lead in the second set, the U.S. went on a 10-2 run to take a nine-point lead. Devyn Wiest served for six consecutive points with two of the team’s five aces in the set. Taylor scored four points on two kills, a block and ace, while Spears led all players with four kills.

An emphatic Nichols kill out of the middle put the U.S. up 6-1 to begin the third set. Spain as close as five points,10-5, but a Taylor ace culminated a 4-1 run that pushed the lead to eight points, 14-6. Spain was only able to put back-to-back points together once the rest of the set. Outside hitter Lameen Mambu led the way with five points on two kills, two blocks and an ace. Nichols and Spears each delivered four kills.

Spain seemed poised to send the match to a fifth set when it took a 19-14 lead in the fourth set, but the U.S. went on a 9-2 run keyed by strong blocking to take a 23-21 lead. Four of the U.S.’s final nine points came on blocks. Anderson recorded three blocks and three kills for six points. Nichols scored four points on three kills and a block. Spears served for four points, one on an ace, to bring the U.S. within one point (19-18) and scored on three kills in the set.

USA plays Peru at 3:15 p.m. today in its second pool match.

Oldtimers down South Hills

NEW MANCHESTER, W.Va. — The Chester Oldtimers senior men’s baseball team defeated Pittsburgh South Hills 6-1 on Sunday at Oak Glen High School. Dave Smith limited South Hills to three hits. Eric Sampson had a double and two singles. Smith added two doubles and Mike Logston had two hits.

Chester hosts Poland on July 13 at Oak Glen High School.

Buckeyes prep for Vegas

COLUMBUS — Ohio State’s football team announced on Tuesday that players Jeremiah Smith, Caleb Downs and Sonny Styles will join coach Ryan Day at its Big Ten Media Day on July 22 in Las Vegas.

Red Panda injured at game

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The popular halftime show performer who goes by the name Red Panda fell off her unicycle and crashed to the court during halftime of the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup final between the Indiana Fever and the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, unable to finish her show.

There was no word on the extent of her injuries. She appeared to be grabbing at her left wrist after the fall — she fell forward off the unicycle onto the court — and was helped off the floor by wheelchair.

Red Panda, whose name is Rong Niu, is a Chinese American woman who comes from a family of performing acrobats. Her act is composed of her riding on her custom-built unicycle, which stretches about 8 feet above the court, and balancing custom-made bowls on her lower leg before flipping them atop her head.

She began her NBA halftime performer career in 1993 as a last minute replacement for a canceled act at a Los Angeles Clippers game.

Fever star Caitlin Clark wished Red Panda well during the lockerroom celebration after the win.

7-foot hockey player drafted

BRANTFORD, Ontario (AP) — The Brantford Bulldogs selected 7-foot-tall, 273-pound defenseman Alexander Karmanov with the 172nd pick in the Canadian Hockey League import draft on Wednesday.

The Ontario Hockey League club in a social media post announcing the choice called the 17-year-old the “largest hockey player on the planet.” Karmanov would be the tallest junior player in the CHL, and, according to Elite Prospects, he is the tallest active registered hockey player in the world.

Recently elected Hall of Famer Zdeno Chara at 6-foot-9 is the tallest player in NHL history. New York Rangers enforcer Matt Rempe, also listed at 6-9, is the tallest currently in the league.

Karmanov, who would also be the first player to make the CHL from Moldova, played last season for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Knights and had 34 points in 36 games at multiple levels of their program. Last summer, at age 16, he committed to play college hockey at Penn State in 2027.

Guardians lose sixth straight

CHICAGO (AP) — Pete Crow-Armstrong had two hits and two RBIs after being chosen an All-Star starter for the first time in his career, Shota Imanaga won his second straight start since returning from a hamstring injury and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-4 on Wednesday night.

Seiya Suzuki added two hits and three RBIs for the Cubs, who have opened July with consecutive victories over Cleveland after dropping seven of their final 11 in June. They lead the NL Central at 51-35.

Carlos Santana, Lane Thomas and David Fry hit solo home runs for Cleveland, which has dropped six straight and fell to 40-44.

Imanaga (5-2) gave up three earned runs in 5 1/3 innings and struck out four. Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee (4-9) allowing five earned runs in four innings.

The homers by Santana and Thomas came on consecutive pitches to begin the second inning, both landing in the left-field basket. Fry’s homer made it 3-0 in the third, but the Cubs scored twice in the bottom of the inning before Suzuki’s two-run single and Crow-Anderson’s triple made it 5-3 in the fourth.

Steven Kwan hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth, but Daniel Palencia recorded the final out to secure his 10th save.

Key moment

Suzuki’s run-scoring double and Crow-Anderson’s RBI single in the third started Chicago’s comeback.

Key stat

The Guardians were 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base. The Cubs had three hits with runners in scoring position.

Up next

Chicago RHP Cade Horton (3-2, 4.80 ERA) is slated to take the mound against Cleveland RHP Luis Ortiz (4-9, 4.36) on Thursday.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb