SPORTS DIGEST || YSU volleyball team loses to Green Bay

YSU volleyball team loses to Green Bay

GREEN BAY, WISC.

Green Bay used a strong defensive effort to sweep the Youngstown State volleyball team at the Kress Center, 25-23, 25-11, 25-13.

The Phoenix had 10-1/2 blocks and 41 digs in the three-set match, which limited the Penguins to a .043 attack percentage. YSU had a respectable six blocks, and Lauren Blanco posted 19 digs from her normal libero position after injuries forced her to start as a left side on Friday night.

In addition to missing starting left-side hitters Marketa Plesingrova and Margaux Thompson for the second straight match, YSU also played without starting opposite Sam Brown in the loss to the Phoenix. That made Youngstown State use a 5-1 offense for the first time this season.

Sarah Varcolla paced the Penguins with eight kills, and she and Valor Haggerty both had four block assists.

YSU coach to speak to Curbstone

BEAVER TOWNSHIP

John Barnes, Youngstown State University women’s head basketball coach, will be the Curbstone Coaches’ guest speaker at Monday’s luncheon at The Avion Banquet Center. The event begins at noon and the public is welcome to attend.

Buoniconti urges youth football ban

NEW YORK

A victim himself of the sport, Marc Buoniconti wants to see youth football banned.

He hasn’t always felt that way. Now, as his Miami Project to Cure Paralysis also researches head trauma, the former college linebacker paralyzed from the shoulders down in a game nearly 32 years ago has a different view.

As he has learned more about concussions and has seen his father, Hall of Famer Nick Buoniconti, have significant cognitive issues in recent years, Marc Buoniconti is adamant that children not play football.

He tells The Associated Press, “I honestly can no longer tell parents that their loved ones should play football. I just can’t do it in my heart.”

Buoniconti is thinking about calling for a ban on “Little League football” and perhaps extending it through high school. He fears that the hitting inherent in the game is too dangerous for kids, even if no concussions have been sustained.

Athletics’ Maxwell kneels during anthem

OAKLAND, Calif.

Bruce Maxwell of the Oakland Athletics has become the first Major League Baseball player to kneel during the national anthem.

Maxwell dropped to a knee just outside Oakland’s dugout on Saturday, adopting a protest started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in response to police treatment of blacks. Maxwell’s teammates stood in a line next to him. Teammate Mark Canha, who is white, put his right hand on one of Maxwell’s shoulders.

The Athletics released a statement on Twitter shortly after the anthem, saying they “respect and support all of our players’ constitutional rights and freedom of expression.”

Maxwell’s protest comes after President Donald Trump denounced protests by NFL players and rescinded a White House invitation for NBA champion Stephen Curry in a two-day rant that targeted top professional athletes.

Boxer Parker defeats Fury

MANCHESTER, England

Joseph Parker prevented the Fury family from reclaiming a world heavyweight title by beating Hughie Fury by a majority decision on Saturday, with the judges rewarding the New Zealander’s attacking approach in an uneventful fight.

Parker failed to land many clean punches but was never in danger against Fury, who came with a game plan of negating Parker’s power with his movement and foot speed and then counterattacking.

Two judges scored the fight 118-110 in favor of Parker. The other judge scored it 114-114.

Staff/wire report