Weekend College Top 10: Robert Morris hockey continues playoff push

Every Monday, the Tribune-Review will highlight 10 top area college performances from the weekend:

1. OT goal pushes Robert Morris hockey into conference semifinals

Justin Addamo scored with less than four minutes left in overtime, lifting the Colonials past Bentley, 3-2, in the deciding game of their best-of-three Atlantic Hockey quarterfinal series Sunday in Waltham, Mass. Eighth-seeded Robert Morris (16-21-2) advanced to its sixth straight conference semifinal and faces top-seeded American (20-16-1) at 4:35 p.m. Friday in Buffalo, N.Y. Aidan Spellacy and Pittsburgh native Luke Lynch also scored for the Colonials, and Francis Marotte made 32 saves. Second-seeded Bentley won the opener 3-2 on Friday, and the Colonials bounced back with a 2-1 victory Saturday, with Michael Louria scoring the tiebreaking goal in the third period.

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2. Mercyhurst men upset IUP, reach Sweet 16 for 1st time

Patrick Smith had 20 points and eight rebounds, leading the fourth-seeded Lakers past the host Crimson Hawks, 75-65, in the NCAA Division II Tournament on Sunday. Jason Massey added 19 points and seven rebounds for Mercyhurst (25-7), which avenged a loss to top-seeded IUP (30-3) in the PSAC championship game. The teams split their regular-season series. The Lakers built a 15-4 lead early in the first half and never let the Crimson Hawks get closer than eight points in the second half. Donte Lombardi led IUP with 25 points. Mercyhurst plays West Liberty at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Atlantic Regional final.

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3. IUP’s women’s basketball rallies, reaches regional final

All five starters scored in double figures as the Crimson Hawks came back from a seven-point halftime deficit and beat Virginia Union, 66-58, in the second round of the NCAA Division II Tournament on Saturday. Carolyn Appleby (Greensburg Central Catholic) and Lexi Griggs (Vincentian Academy) led IUP with 15 points apiece. The third-seeded Crimson Hawks (28-3) play rival Cal (Pa.) for the Atlantic Regional title Monday. The fourth-seeded Vulcans (26-5) beat IUP twice in the regular season.

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4. Cal (Pa.) smothers top-seeded Glenville State in NCAAs

Abbey Sporio (Elizabeth Forward) set career highs with 25 points and nine steals and added eight rebounds, leading the Vulcans to an 87-77 overtime victory in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday. It was a season low in points for the Pioneers, who lead Division II in scoring. Cal’s win also snapped Glenville State’s 38-game home winning streak. Bianca Jasper tied her career high with 20 points and nine rebounds, and Seairra Barrett (Central Valley) had 13 points and nine rebounds. The Vulcans (26-5) face PSAC rival IUP (28-3) in the Atlantic Regional final at 7 p.m. Monday.

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5. Clarion diver dominates en route to national title

Senior Christina Sather scored 515.60 points in the 3-meter event on the final day of the NCAA Division II swimming and diving championships, cruising to first place Saturday in Indianapolis. She became the 48th national champion diver in Clarion history. Emma Kehn earned All-American honors with a fourth-place finish.

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6. Seton Hill baseball earns walk-off victory

Austin Braendel homered in the bottom of the ninth, leading the Griffins past Millersville, 9-8, on Sunday and ending the Marauders’ 10-game winning streak. Braendel went 3 for 4 with two homers, three runs and three RBIs, and Nick Stotler (Plum) and Isaiah DiAndreth (Hempfield) had three hits apiece for Seton Hill (8-8).

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7. Pitt records 1st ACC win of season

Freshman Billy Corcoran allowed two hits in 5 1/3 shutout innings, earning his first collegiate victory in the Panthers’ 1-0 triumph over Virginia Tech on Sunday. Connor Perry scored the lone run in the fourth inning on a groundout by David Yanni. Chase Smith earned his second save of the season for Pitt (7-11, 1-5).

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8. Clarion’s Cartia breaks HR record

Sophomore Jessica Cartia (Elizabeth Forward) hit her 12th career home run to move into first place in school history, but the Golden Eagles lost to Seton Hill, 12-3, on Sunday. Clarion dropped to 0-19 this season.

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9. Vulcans sophomore wins season-opening golf tournament

Sara Suazo shot 12-over-par 156 to earn medalist honors at the Browngolf Intercollegiate on Saturday in Whispering Pines, N.C. It was her sixth career individual victory.

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10. CMU women’s golf set record in victory

Carnegie Mellon had a three-round total of 912 — breaking the program record by 26 strokes — to win the Jekyll Island Women’s Collegiate over the weekend in Jekyll Island, Ga. Yedin Lui, Charlotte Simpson and Grace Chen tied for sixth place individually at 229.