Sports briefs
Djokovic wins 24th Grand Slam title
Novak Djokovic emerged from an exhilarating and exhausting U.S. Open final with a 24th Grand Slam title on Sunday night, using every ounce of his energy and some serve-and-volley guile to get past Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 in a match that was more closely contested than the straight-set score indicated.
Djokovic, a 36-year-old from Serbia, moved one major singles title in front of Serena Williams to become the first player to win 24 in the Open era, which began in 1968. Margaret Court also collected a total of 24, but 13 of those came before professionals were admitted to the Slam events.
Djokovic’s fourth championship in New York, where he was unable to compete a year ago because he isn’t vaccinated against COVID-19, goes alongside his 10 trophies from the Australian Open, seven from Wimbledon and three from the French Open, extending his lead on the men’s Slam list. Rafael Nadal, who has been sidelined since January with a hip problem that required surgery, is next with 22; Roger Federer, who announced his retirement a year ago, finished with 20.
Boys soccer
In a non-section match between two of the top clubs in the area, Charleroi showed why it is one of the stronger teams in the WPIAL in Class A with an 8-0 victory over McGuffey Saturday afternoon at Myron Pottios Stadium.
Arlo McIntyre not only had a hat-trick but played the final 20 minutes in goal to share the clean sheet with starter Nate Mazon.
Landon Barcus and Bryce Large scored twice and Dylan Klinger found the back of the net for the undefeated Cougars (3-0, 6-0). Barcus had three assists for five points. Klinger had two assists. Jake Chambers and Ethan Hartley also assisted on a goal.
Charleroi recorded 18 shots on goal while its backline limited the Highlanders (4-1, 4-2) to one shot on target.
n Ringgold scored three minutes into Saturday’s match at Joe Montana Stadium and pitched an 8-0 shutout over West Mifflin in non-section play.
Nick Evans, who finished with a hat-trick, took a pass from Sam Alvarez to score the only goal the Rams (4-0, 6-0) would need.
Ringgold extended its lead to 2-0 in the first minute of the second half as Evans received a pass from Juraj Stasko and buried the shot. Stasko scored off a feed from Aidan Weaver and Evans’ third tally came off an assist from Stasko for a 4-0 advantage.
Michael Stasko scored the final goal after receiving a pass from Izaiah Wilson.
Donovan Fortuna earned the clean sheet in his first varsity start.
n Luke Gillen and Michael Plasko scored in South Fayette’s 2-0 non-section victory at Canon-McMillan Saturday.
The Lions improved to 3-0-1 in overall play. They are 2-0-1 in section action.
n Riverview defeated Chartiers-Houston, 5-4, in non-section play Saturday.
Girls soccer
Paige Malley’s brace was more that enough scoring for Peters Township in Saturday’s non-section match against West Allegheny, but the Indians scored six more times in an 8-0 victory.
Cam Klein, Marina Hajnosz and Sophia Guna had two assists apiece for Peters Township (2-0-1, 4-0-1).
n Olivia Renk scored the lone goal in South Fayette’s 1-0 victory at Canon-McMillan Saturday in non-section play.
The Lions improved to 2-3 overall. The Big Macs fell to 2-2-1.
n Monessen defeated Jeannette, 12-1, in non-section action Saturday morning.
n Baldwin edged Ringgold, 1-0, in non-section play Saturday.
Women’s soccer
Neither team scored in the first 82 minutes of action Saturday in a non-conference matchup between Washington and Jefferson and Oswego State at the 2023 SUNY Fredonia Tournament at University Stadium in Fredonia, N.Y., but both teams traded goals less than a minute apart for a 1-1 draw.
The Presidents (2-1-1) opened the scoring in the 83rd minute as Dove Corrette-Bennett took a pass from Makenna Mann and buried the shot past the Oswego keeper for her first collegiate goal.
The Lakers scored the match-tying goal 17 seconds later, and the two played out the remaining seven minutes to settle for a draw.
Oswego had a 17-7 margin in shots, including an 8-5 edge in shots on target, but W&J keeper Kalea Umali made seven saves in her second collegiate start.
n Edinboro scored one goal apiece in the first and second halves to blank California, 2-0, in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference play Saturday at California.
The Vulcans’ Emily Ouimet made seven saves.
Men’s soccer
Mount Union scored two in the second half to earn a 2-0 shutout over Washington and Jefferson on Saturday at Alexandre Stadium in non-conference play.
The Presidents (1-1-1) hung tough with the undefeated Purple Raiders (4-0-0) and didn’t concede a goal until Carter Hancock’s tally in the 79th minute. Jamon McCort added an insurance goal in the 90th minute.
Mount Union’s backline limited W&J to just two shots, including none on target. The Presidents’ best opportunity to score came in the 69th minute when freshman Jimmy Gogol lined a shot that sailed just over the crossbar.
Presidents keeper Charles Boldosser made five saves.
n Cedarville (Ohio) scored two second-half goals to down California, 2-0, on Saturday at Cedarville.
Cedarville (3-1) outshot the Vulcans, 12-3, including a 7-0 advantage in shots on target.
Payton Smith made five saves for California (1-2-1).
Field hockey
Washington and Jefferson earned its first win of the season on Sunday after blanking Earlham, 5-0, in a consolation match at the Wilson College Invitational in Chambersburg, Pa.
Lindsey Blount scored 1:46 into the match, which was all the offense keeper Anastasia Godat would need. She made three saves for the shutout.
Hailey Wachowiak scored two goals and assisted on Lily Giering’s tally. Emily Bloom scored the second goal for the Presidents (1-2).
n Washington and Jefferson scored the first and final tallies in Saturday’s 4-2 setback to host Wilson College at the Wilson College Invitational.
W&J scored its opening goal at 3:04 of the first quarter when Blount buried a shot after receiving a pass from Joscelynn Anglin.
Wilson College (2-1) scored the tying goal at 10:41 of the first quarter and added two more in the third period for a 3-1 advantage on tallies by Jill Ahlgren, Paige Ney and Brea Kelso. Ahlgren assisted on Ney’s goal.
Kelso added her second goal with less than nine minutes remaining in the match before the Giering found the back of the net with 18 seconds left. Ella Phillips assisted on Giering’s goal.
Wilson had an 18-9 advantage in shots, including a 14-7 lead in shots on target.
Godat made 10 saves, including six in the second quarter, for W&J.