Southern downs YCS volleyball in finale

Southern downs YCS volleyball in finale

Youngstown

The Southern Indians beat the Youngstown Christian Eagles 25-12, 25-11, 25-13 on Saturday. Rachel Gulias had 24 assists, Daisjha Parks had five kills and Marissa Davis added 22 digs for the Eagles (2-18). The Eagles play Sebring today in the Division IV sectional tournament. The Indians face Heartland Christian Thursday.

US wins first women’s volleyball world title

MILAN

The United States won its first women’s volleyball world championship title Sunday, beating China 3-1 in the final.

Kimberly Hill scored 20 points, including the final kill, and captain Christa Harmotto Dietzen added 15 in the Americans’ 27-25, 25-20, 16-25, 26-24 victory before 12,600 fans at the Mediolanum Forum.

The U.S. women had never won a major tournament title at the world championship, World Cup or Olympics.

U.S. coach Karch Kiraly, a three-time Olympic champion, said “we came here to make history and we made it.

The Americans took silver in 1967 and 2002.

In Saturday’s semifinals, the U.S. stunned top-ranked and Olympic champion Brazil 3-0.

Brazil edged host Italy 3-2 (25-15, 25-13, 22-25, 22-25, 15-7) in the bronze-medal match.

United eliminates Dynamo with 3-1 win

HOUSTON

Taylor Kemp, Fabian Espindola and Eddie Johnson scored and D.C. United dropped the Houston Dynamo from playoff contention with a 3-1 victory Sunday.

United (16-9-7) extended their Eastern Conference lead to six points with two games remaining. The Dynamo (11-15-6) needed at least a draw to avoid elimination.

Kemp drilled home a rebound in the 41st minute to open the scoring. Espindola created the opportunity with a well-placed through ball that drew goalkeeper Tyler Deric off his line.

Espindola added another in the 64th minute, finishing a solo breakaway with a scoop over Deric.

Giles Barnes converted a penalty kick in the 83rd minute to bring the Dynamo to 2-1. But Johnson capped the scoring for United in the 87th.

The match was delayed 72 minutes in the 22nd minute because of lightning in the area.

FC Dallas clinches, beats Galaxy 2-1

FRISCO, Texas

Fabian Castillo scored in the winner in 88th minute and FC Dallas clinched a playoff berth, beating the Los Angeles Galaxy 2-1 on Sunday night.

Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo errantly punched a dangerous cross directly out to Castillo, who headed it right back into the goal from the middle of the box.

David Texeira tied it for FC Dallas (15-11-6) with a one-timer in the 52nd minute, cutting behind two Galaxy defenders as Andres Escobar sent a perfectly weighted ball forward.

Stefan Ishizaki chipped over goalkeeper Chris Seitz into the side netting to open the scoring for the Galaxy (17-6-9) in the 22nd minute.

The Galaxy missed an opportunity to move ahead of the Western Conference rival Seattle Sounders for the MLS top spot.

Wild sign Brodin to 6-year extension

ST. PAUL, Minn.

The Minnesota Wild have signed defenseman Jonas Brodin to a six-year contract extension.

The deal was announced Sunday.

Brodin has started his third season with the Wild, who drafted him out of Karlstad, Sweden, with the 10th overall pick in 2011. He joined the team as a 19-year-old, the youngest defenseman in the NHL who led all rookies in average ice time with 23 minutes and 12 seconds per game in the 2013 season.

Through 126 games, the 6-foot-1, 194-pound Brodin has 10 goals, 21 assists and a plus-8 rating. He has played mostly with Ryan Suter on the team’s first blue-line pairing. Brodin’s new contract will run through 2021.

Staff/wire reports