12/05/2006

College Notebook

Kasza strikes from long distance

By MARK URBAN

murban@record-eagle.com

Northern Michigan University's Maria Kasza was dialed in last week.

And it wasn't a local call.

Kasza hit nine 3-pointers as the Wildcats split a pair of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball games last week. She was nominated for the GLIAC's North Division player of the week award.

Kasza hit five of her eight 3-point attempts on Saturday as Northern Michigan (2-4, 1-1 GLIAC) topped Findlay on Saturday. Kasza finished with 21 points to go along with six rebounds and three assists.

In a 69-58 loss to Michigan Tech on Wednesday, Kasza buried four of her eight attempts from 3-point territory. She finished the contest with 14 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals.

• So far, so easy.

The third-seeded Penn State University women's volleyball team cruised into the third round with a pair of three-game sweeps in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

The Nittany Lions (31-2) beat Hofstra (30-20, 30-12, 30-19) on Saturday to reach the regional semifinals for the 19th time and the 15th in the last 17 seasons.

Freshman setter Alisha Glass (Leland) directed the offense with 35 assists. She also added six blocks, six digs, two aces in the win.

In the first round of the postseason, Penn State topped Long Island (30-16, 30-27, 30-15) on Friday night.

Glass had her fifth career double-double with 38 assists and 10 digs. She also added five kills and three blocks.

Earlier in the week, Glass was one of six players named to the Big Ten all-freshman team. Glass averages 12.4 assists a game and is third on the team in blocks per game (1.15) and fourth in digs (2.06).

Next up for Penn State is 14th seeded Purdue (23-10) at 8 p.m. Friday in the first regional semifinal at Bank of America Arena in Seattle. The second regional semifinal will feature No. 11 seed Ohio State (25-7) against the No. 6 seed and defending national champion Washington (27-4).

The winners of Friday's matches square off on Saturday at 9 p.m. for the right to advance to the Final Four on Dec. 14 in Omaha, Neb.

• Central Michigan University junior Dana Westover (Glen Lake) had a career-high 15 points to lead the Chippewas to their first road victory of the season, 70-56 over Indiana-Purdue Fort Wayne on Saturday.

Westover went 6 for 10 from the field for CMU (3-4). She also had four rebounds, two steals and a block.

Central lost 52-47 to the University of Michigan on Tuesday. Westover had four points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal before fouling out.

• Sophomore linebacker John Plumstead (Benzie Central) made a solo tackle on the opening kickoff of Army's season-ending 26-14 loss to Navy on Saturday.

Plumstead, a special teams standout for the Black Knights (3-9), played in all 12 games. He finished the campaign with 11 tackles — seven of which were solo — and a fumble recovery.

• The DePaul women's basketball team had a pair of second-half surges to get past Missouri State on Sunday and junior forward Erin Carney (TC St. Francis) had a big part in the second.

The Blue Demons (5-1) opened the second half with a 12-3 run and later had a 19-11 run. Carney had seven of the 19 points in the final push and finished with nine points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals.

• The Hope College club hockey team improved to 16-1 with a pair of 6-1 victories. The Dutch, ranked No. 1 nationally, beat Calvin College on Saturday and Saginaw Valley on Friday.

Senior Jeff Guy (Kalkaska) had a goal and an assist against SVSU and a goal in the win over Calvin.

Hope's lone loss was to Grand Valley State University's club team, which is led in scoring by freshman Jake Erway (TC Central). He has 10 goals and 31 points for the Lakers.

• The Madonna University men's basketball team took a pair of victories from Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association teams and senior guard Adam Kerfoot (Gaylord St. Mary) was glad to dish it out.

Kerfoot had six assists, seven points and one steal as Madonna (3-6) topped Alma College 79-66 on Saturday. Kerfoot had eight assists, 10 points, three rebounds and two steals in a 72-68 triumph over Olivet on Tuesday.

• The honors keep continuing for Central Michigan University senior defensive end Dan Bazuin (McBain).

This one was for his work in the classroom as Bazuin was named to the Academic All-America football team. A marketing major with a 3.39 grade point average, Bazuin was a first team selection.

On the field, Bazuin was named first team all-Mid-American Conference for the third time. Bazuin holds CMU career records for tackles for loss (61) and sacks (33½) and single season records for tackles for loss (26.5) and sacks (16).

Invited to play in the 2007 East-West Shrine Game and the 2007 Hula Bowl, Bazuin had five tackles — one for a loss — and half a sack as Central (9-4) beat Ohio 31-10 on Thursday in the MAC Championship Game.

The Chippewas will face Middle Tennessee in the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26 in Detroit.

• The Davenport University women's basketball team went on the road and beat the top two teams in the Kentucky Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Davenport upset No. 19 ranked Berea College 93-82 on Saturday and downed Midway College 66-58 on Friday. Sophomore Lynne Blomberg (Harbor Springs) had 18 points in the win over Berea.

• Offense wasn't a problem for the host team as the Golden Eagles easily won the Cornerstone Classic men's basketball tournament.

Cornerstone beat Marygrove 102-78 in Saturday's championship game. Senior forward Andy Bronkema (McBain) had 18 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Junior forward Luke Bronkema (McBain) added five points and two rebounds and freshman guard Corbin Donaldson (Petoskey) three points and two rebounds.

The Golden Eagles opened with a 93-56 victory over Robert Wesleyan on Friday as Andy Bronkema had 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists and Luke Bronkema nine points and one assist.

• Even though Eric Gordon (TC West) didn't play a down in a game for Michigan State University's football team, he made himself valuable.

A 6-foot, 215-pound freshman linebacker, Gordon was named the scout team defensive player of the year and was presented with the Jim Adams Award as the Spartans' unsung hero.

In addition, Kevin McClatchey (TC Central) was presented with the Cowing Award as a senior manager for the team.

• Hope College improved to 5-0 with a pair of victories at the CCIW-MIAA Women's Basketball Classic.

The Dutch beat Wheaton 83-81 in overtime on Saturday as senior Sarah Jurik (Mesick) had 18 points, five rebounds, one assist and one block and junior Lindsay Lange (Manistee) added two points and two rebounds.

Lange had 10 points, eight rebounds and one steal and Jurik three rebounds and two assists in a 65-51 triumph over Carthage.

Calvin College split its two games, beating Carthage 83-61 and losing 49-46 to Wheaton. Junior Nikki Zimmerman (TC West) had four assists, three steals and three rebounds in the victory by the Knights (4-1) and two assists and four boards against Wheaton.

• The University of Michigan women's basketball team matched its win total from last season with a 60-55 triumph over Miami (Fla.) on Sunday. Freshman Kalyn McPherson (TC West) had four points and three rebounds in the win by the Wolverines (6-3).

McPherson had eight points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal in a 61-58 loss to Notre Dame on Friday.

• Freshman Austin Randel (McBain) scored in double digits both times as North Greenville split a pair of basketball games.

Randel had 18 points, four rebounds and four assists in a 79-67 loss to Mars Hill on Saturday. Randel poured in 25 points and pulled down five rebounds in an 81-73 victory over Allen on Wednesday.

• Lake Superior State University freshman Jill Walton (Kingsley) pulled down eight rebounds as the Lakers (4-2) posted an easy 75-39 victory over Concordia College.

Walton also helped fill up the stat sheet with three assists, two steals, two points and one block.

• Central Michigan University freshman Robbie Harman (TC Central) saw 23 minutes of playing time in a 76-61 basketball victory over Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Wednesday and responded with a career-high nine points. He also had three rebounds, two steals and one assist.

The Chippewas (3-3) couldn't follow up that victory on Saturday, falling 67-66 to San Diego. Harman failed to score in 13 minutes of action.

• Freshman Elizabeth Carney (TC St. Francis) scored four points as Saint Xavier University (Ill.) posted an 87-47 non-conference basketball victory over Central College (Iowa).

Carney also had two steals and two rebounds for the Cougars (7-1).

• It's a modest winning streak, but Brown University won its second straight game on Saturday, edging Quinnipiac 80-74. Junior guard Damon Huffman (Petoskey), making his first appearance since the season opener, came off the bench to finish with nine points, three rebounds and three assists for the Brown Bears (3-5).

Brown edged Wagner 66-61 on Tuesday as sophomore forward Scott Friske (Charlevoix) had three points and three assists.

• The Lake Superior State men's basketball team finished a three-game road trip with a 73-64 victory over Concordia College.

Sophomore Mark Morse (Harbor Springs) had eight points, five rebounds and two assists for the Lakers (2-4). Morse had five points, two rebounds and two steals as LSSU opened GLIAC play on Thursday with an 83-68 loss to Ashland.

• Gannon University handed Hillsdale its first women's basketball loss of the season on Saturday, 65-52. Senior forward Lauren Fewins (TC St. Francis) had four points and two rebounds in the loss for the Chargers (5-1, 1-1 GLIAC).

Fewins had nine points and two assists as Hillsdale charged to a 91-59 victory over Mercyhurst on Thursday.

• The Kirtland Community College men's basketball team won the Can-Am Classic with a 102-68 victory over Sault College.

Freshman forward James Conway (Gaylord) blocked a team-high four shots and had nine points for the Firebirds (5-2).

Conway had 10 points as Kirtland opened the tournament with an 85-66 triumph over Algoma University.

• Brandon Darnton (Harbor Springs) scored four points Saturday in Michigan State's 82-53 win over Bradley.