Cash reaches semifinals in 55s national doubles and other sports news

Chattanooga's Wes Cash and Mark Vines of Lynchburg, Va., are two wins away from repeating their USTA National Men's 55 Hard Court doubles championship from last year after Thursday's 6-1, 6-0 quarterfinals victory Friday over Mark Gerlach of Santa Monica, Calif., and Rick Johnston of Chicago at Indian Wells, Calif. Cash has won seven USTA 55s national doubles titles in a row, five of them with Vines. The championship at Indian Wells would give the Manker Patten teaching professional two age-group "golden slams" in a row. His partner in the first two titles this year, Mike Tammen of Portland, Ore., remains alive in this one also. The top-seeded Cash and Vines will face Matthew Barker and Jeff Tonjes of Albuquerque, N.M., today.

Volleyball

• Covenant College sophomore Chelsea VanDyk was voted to the USA South all-conference volleyball first team announced Thursday, and junior setter Stephanie Kirkpatrick was a third-team choice. VanDyk has averaged 3.64 kills per set this season, and Kirkpatrick is averaging 8.24 assists per set and has 15 double-doubles. Kirkpatrick also was voted to the CoSIDA academic all-district team for NCAA Division III for the second year in a row. She is a math major with a 3.98 grade point average.

Soccer

• Josh Ball scored six goals and assisted on a seventh as Lee University won 8-0 in men's soccer Thursday at Clearwater Christian. He had the first five goals in the match and now has 16 for the season. Quade Marinell had the other goal and two assists for the Flames (10-3-4), and Eli Price headed in a Travis Kiger corner kick for the final score.

• Chattanooga-area players got most of the honors for Trevecca Nazarene University's women's soccer team when the Great Midwest Athletic Conference announced its all-conference teams. Senior defender Erica Carroll from Silverdale Baptist Academy was a first-team selection, and junior forward Brooke Gann from East Ridge and sophomore midfielder Anna Hoffman from Chattanooga Christian were the Nashville lteam's second-teamers. Ryan Alosi and Abbie Alosi from Silverdale were two of the Lady Trojans' four honorable-mention honorees.

Softball

• Heritage senior first baseman Katie Pritchett committed Thursday to play for Carson-Newman University, according to Generals coach Steve Chattin. Pritchett, the team's lone senior, batted .331 with three home runs for the Region 7-AAAA champions. "Katie visited at Carson-Newman yesterday and had a great workout for them," Chattin said. "They told her since they have a senior first baseman and third baseman this year she could come in and compete right away for a starting spot. She had a great season for us on the field, and she's probably the best senior leader we've ever had."

Basketball

• The first-year Dalton State College men's basketball team continued its perfect start as a four-year program with a 68-46 win over Hiwassee College in the Northwest Georgia Trade & Convention Center on Thursday. It was the home opener for the Roadrunners, and it was a sellout.

• Freshman Erika Woodfin from Dade County scored 15 points and Payton Smith from Sonoraville had 10 points and eight assists as the Reinhardt University women's basketball team won its home opener Tuesday night, 75-70 over St. Thomas. Reinhardt takes a 1-1 record into Saturday's game at Auburn-Montgomery.

General

• Baylor School was awarded the 2012-13 Blue Cross Championship Series Trophy by the TSSAA as Tennessee's most outstanding overall high school athletic program. During the 2012-13 school year, Baylor won five TSSAA state championships -- in girls' and boys' golf, girls' cross country, girls' tennis and softball.

Football

• UTC football tight ends coach Chris Harr will be the guest speaker for the UTC Mocs Club's "Breakfast With the Coach" at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Wally's Restaurant on McCallie Avenue. The public is invited to attend and order off the menu; no reservation is required.

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