COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Vasko sparks Liberty to victory at UTEP
Oscar Smith High graduate Ethan Vasko threw for 243 yards on 19-of-33 accuracy and ran for a touchdown Wednesday night as Liberty (2-4, 1-1 Conference USA) earned a 19-8 Conference USA victory over UTEP (1-5, 0-2) at the Sun Bowl stadium.
Jay Billingsley made a 41-yard field goal, his fourth of the game, to give Liberty a 19-0 lead midway through the third quarter. Eldric Griffin made an interception with 2:37 left in the fourth.
Liberty outgained UTEP 404 yards to 167. The Flames rushed for 160 yards on 50 carries, led by Vaughn Blue’s 75 yards.
COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL
2 Monarchs gain preseason awards
Old Dominion junior Robert Davis Jr. and senior Caelum Swanton-Rodger earned preseason accolades.
In the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, Davis was named tabbed the league’s Preseason Player of the Year.
The Lindy’s Sports preview magazine also has Davis as the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year and has Swanton-Rodger as the Best Defender.
Liberty was picked first among the 12 teams in Conference USA, followed by Kennesaw State and New Mexico State.
The 10-man preseason all-conference team included three Flames: forward Zach Cleveland and guards Kaden Metheny and Colin Porter.
COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
OT buzzer-beater lifts No. 1 CNU past No. 3 Salisbury
Host Christopher Newport (12-0), ranked No. 1 in Division III, edged No. 3 Salisbury 2-1 Wednesday in overtime when Riley Iasiello sprinted about 75 yards with the ball and found Caroline Hughlett, who scored with one-tenth of a second left in double overtime. The Sea Gulls, who beat CNU three times last season, fell to 9-2.
COLLEGE MEN’S SOCCER
No. 20 CNU moves up Saturday match vs. Regent
Christopher Newport, ranked 20th nationally in Division III, moved up its Saturday home match against Regent (3-7) to 1 p.m. because of the weather forecast.
Wednesday, CNU (7-1-4) and Washington and Lee (4-2-5) played to a scoreless draw in Lexington. Each team took nine shots.
Also Wednesday, Randolph-Macon (7-2-2, 1-1-1 Old Dominion Athletic Conference) posted a 1-0 victory over Virginia Wesleyan (7-3-1, 1-2-0) in Ashland. Grayson Woods scored in the 33rd minute, assisted by Menchville High alum Damien Jackson.
COLLEGE WOMEN’S SOCCER
VWU ties Lynchburg
Virginia Wesleyan (8-2-2, 3-1-1 ODAC) and homestanding Lynchburg (8-1-2, 3-0-1) competed to a scoreless tie, as did visiting Regent (1-9-3) and Hollins (3-6-1).
COLLEGE WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
CNU extends streak to 5
Alyssa Dozier had 18 kills and Christopher Newport (13-6) extended its winning streak to a season-high five matches by overcoming Salisbury 3-1 (25-21, 22-24, 25-21, 25-17) in Maryland. CNU ended a four-match road losing streak to the Sea Gulls (15-5) as Grassfield High alumna Maddie Hanes had 15 digs and Fielding Croft had 47 assists and 12 digs.