Canfield’s McGowan earns player of week honors

Canfield’s McGowan earns player of week honors

PITTSBURGH — Rachel McGowan, a junior on the Duquesne University women’s tennis team from Canfield High, has been named Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Week.

She earned the honor for her play against Fordham last Saturday when she registered a 6-0, 6-1 win over Martina Featherston at No. 2 singles.

McGowan also teamed with Zena Williams to score an 8-5 victory in No. 1 doubles over Featherston and Dominique Liguori. McGowan and Williams are a perfect 8-0 for the 2008-09 season.

The Dukes defeated Fordham, 5-2, at the Club 4 Life courts in Monroeville.

In addition, Freshman Tara Majdalani was named Atlantic 10 Women’s Tennis Rookie of the Week to give the Dukes a sweep of league honors. Majdalani was a winner in singles and doubles.

Duquesne (1-2) will host Bucknell (2-1) on Saturday. Match time is 1 p.m. at the Club 4 Life in Monroeville, Pa.

McGowan also enjoyed strong freshman and sophomore seasons. As a sophomore, she 17-10 in singles alternating bewteen No. 3 and No. 4, and 18-6 at No. 1 doubles.

As a freshman, she led Duquesne with 42 overall wins, going 20-9 in singles and 22-6 at doubles.

Schrecengost has two second places for Walsh

NORTH CANTON — Two Youngstown-area members of the Walsh University indoor track team — Brad Schrecengost and Joe Paulenich — have been performing well in the early season.

Schrecengost, a freshman from Lakeview High, placed second in the 35-pound weight throw with a toss of 46 feet, 23‚Ñ4 inches at the Case Western Reserve University Spartan Relays last Saturday in the Cavaliers’ season opener. He also placed second in the 35-pound weight throw in Walsh’s season opener on Jan. 17 at the Marietta Open with a throw of 48 feet, 81‚Ñ4 inches.

Paulenich, a freshman from Cardinal Mooney, placed fourth in the shot put (41-53‚Ñ4) at the Case Western Reserve University Spartan Relays.

Girard’s Culp starter for LaRoche College

PITTSBURGH — David Culp, a Girard High graduate, is a starter for the La Roche College basketball team.

Culp, a 6-foot-9 junior center, ranks No. 2 on the team in field goal percentage with 53.1 on 34-for-64 entering last night’s game at Penn State Behrend. He has started all 15 games (10-5, 6-2 Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference), and is averaging 5 points and 1.9 rebounds with eight blocks and three steals.

Culp scored 10 points in the Redhawks’ 70-65 win over Medaille College on Jan. 7.

Summerfield helps Hiram in volleyball

HIRAM — Taylor Summerfield from Howland High had a succcessful freshman season for the Hiram College volleyball team.

Summerfield, a 5-7 setter, helped the Terriers to a 19-18 overall record this past season and a runner-up finish at the 2008 North Coast Athletic Conference Tournament.

Summerfield led Hiram in assists and service aces and had this past season. She had 760 assists for a 5.80 per-set average, and 34 service aces for a 0.26 per-set average.

She also had 146 kills, fourth highest on the team, averaging 1.11 per set; and 276 digs, third-most on the team with 2.11 average digs per set.

In addition, Summerfield had 24 total blocks — eight solo blocks and 16 assisted.

The daughter of Ora and Karen Summerfield, Taylor is majoring in biomedical humanities and minoring in exercise and sport science.

XComplied by John Kovach, Vindicator sports staff