YSU volleyball sweeps Wright St., sets record

YSU volleyball sweeps Wright St., sets record

youngstown

The Youngstown State volleyball team hit .310 as a group while posting 12 blocks defensively in a 25-20, 25-14, 25-21 victory over Wright State on Friday.

The Penguins are 14-10, 6-3 in the Horizon League. Wright State is 6-22, 0-10.

YSU set a school record with its sixth conference victory, and its .310 attack percentage was the second-best for a league match in school history.

Alexis Egler led all players with nine kills, and Lauren Thompson had seven kills on a .462 attack percentage.

Phantoms fall, 6-1

YOUNGSTOWN

The Youngstown Phantoms surrendered three goals in each of the first and second periods in Friday’s 6-1 loss to the Sioux Falls Stampede at the Covelli Centre.

Luke Stork scored the goal for Youngstown (4-8-1, 9 points), which fell to 0-6-2 all-time against Sioux Falls (8-4-1, 17 points). Goaltender Sean Romeo surrendered three goals on 10 shots in the first period and was replaced by Colin DeAugustine.

The teams will face off again tonight at the Covelli Centre.

The Phantoms played without leading scorer Kyle Connor who is playing for Team USA at a tournament in Nova Scotia. Captain Aldred Larsson and forward Kiefer Sherwood were scratched.

NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas set

FORT WORTH, Texas

Jimmie Johnson qualified third for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Texas, one row ahead of Matt Kenseth. Johnson and Kenseth are tied for the points lead going into Sunday’s race.

Carl Edwards starts on the pole after a qualifying lap of 196.114 mph on Friday. Edwards earned his first pole at Texas, where he is the only three-time Cup winner.

The polesitter has won the last two races at the high-banked 11/2-mile track.

Brad Keselowski starts on the front row after a fast lap of 196.100 mph, just ahead of Johnson’s 195.943 mph.

Services to improve for World Cup tourists

SAO PAULO

The Brazilian government is outlining ways to improve the quality of services available to the nearly 600,000 international visitors and 3 million local tourists expected during next year’s soccer World Cup.

A committee with members from several government departments has been meeting regularly to debate strategies to improve the country’s ability to host the visitors.

Some measures have already been agreed upon, including the creation and renovation of more than 100 stations to attend to tourists in the 12 host cities.

NYPD says marathon will be well protected

NEW YORK

New York City police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says this weekend’s marathon will be the best protected race runners can enter.

Kelly said Friday he met with Boston officials after the bombing at the marathon earlier this year and have gleaned some lessons on how to better secure the 26.2-mile route.

He says there will be four dozen bomb-sniffing dogs, mobile cameras, air and water units and scores of officers on the ground. They will also use their high-tech video surveillance systems that can detect when an item is left in one spot too long.

Messi on Argentina roster for US games

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina

Lionel Messi has been included in a strong Argentina roster for exhibition soccer games against Ecuador and Bosnia-Herzegovina in the United States.

Already qualified for next year’s World Cup, Argentina announced a 22-man group that includes its top four forwards: Messi, Angel Di Maria, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain.

Argentina plays Ecuador on Nov. 15 at East Rutherford, N.J., and Bosnia four days later at St. Louis. Both opponents also are in the 32-nation field at Brazil next June.

Vindicator staff/wire reports