Area sports notes: Sprint cars night canceled at Boyd's Speedway

Assorted Sports Equipment on Black
Assorted Sports Equipment on Black

The United Sprint Car Series announced early Thursday morning that it has called off its Outlaw Thunder and 600 Series races planned for tonight at Boyd's Speedway. The cancellation was "due to circumstances beyond our control," according to the release, which added that Saturday night's sprint car event at Senoia, Georgia, was still a go. The USCS Outlaw Thunder is set to be at Crossville Speedway on Aug. 31 and I-75 Raceway between Niota and Sweetwater on Sept. 1. Boyd's still will have racing tonight, weather permitting, with all its regular classes. Grandstand seating costs $10 for anyone over 12 and is free for 12 and younger.

Soccer

* Former Lee University soccer star Summer Lanter from Soddy-Daisy continues to collect collegiate accolades months after graduating summa cum laude with a nursing degree. The All-American and two-time Gulf South Conference player of the year now has been nominated for NCAA woman of the year, encompassing all sports plus academic achievement and community service. Lanter, already the overall GSC female athlete of the year, is one of only two nominees from the league for the national honor, which will be announced Oct. 28 at an awards dinner in Indianapolis. The top 10 from the NCAA's three divisions will be revealed in early September, and they will be trimmed to three finalists in each division at the end of September.

* The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has moved up its women's soccer season opener today two hours to 1 p.m. at Finley Stadium, in the hope of avoiding inclement weather. Alabama A&M is the Mocs' opponent. Admission is free but there is a parking fee and a stadium-mandated clear-bag policy. While UTC has seven freshmen and seven sophomores with six juniors and two seniors, the Bulldogs are even younger with 12 freshmen, eight sophomores, two juniors and two seniors coming off a 4-14 season.

Tennis

* Chattanooga's Wesley Cash went to bed Thursday night in the midst of the deciding match of the United States 60-over men's Von Cramm Cup semifinal against France in the ITF Seniors World Team Championships in Ulm, Germany. Houston's Ross Persons lost 6-3, 6-4 to Jerome Vanier, and Mark Vines of Naples, Florida, rallied for a 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (5) win over Philippe Joliot to leave the team outcome in the hands of Vines and Cash in doubles. They lost the first set 6-4 but were tied 3-3 in the second when the match was suspended because of darkness. The winning country will play top-seeded Australia, a 2-1 winner over Germany, for the age group's world championship. Also today, Girls Preparatory School coach Sue Bartlett and her Great Britain team plays France for third place in the Alice Marble Cup for women 60-over.

Volleyball

* The UTC volleyball team was picked to finish sixth out of nine teams in the Southern Conference this season, according to the coaches' poll released Thursday. Furman, East Tennessee State and Wofford divided the first-place votes and were first, second and third with 60, 57 and 53 points. Samford was fourth with 41, followed by UNC Greensboro with 37 and UTC with 31. Mercer, Western Carolina and The Citadel got 19, 18 and 8. UTC begins its season next weekend at the Tennessee Invitational at Knoxville, starting today against Belmont. The Mocs face Michigan State and Tennessee the next day.

* Even with key graduation losses, Covenant College was voted to repeat as West Division champion in USA South volleyball this season. Coach Joanna Ehman does have back nine players - including two starters and the libero - from the team that went 25-8 in 2017, 12-0 in West matches, and won the overall USA South tournament. The Lady Scots won the division the last three years, and this is the third time in a row they've been the preseason West favorites. Covenant got seven of the eight first-place votes and 49 total points to 40 for second choice Maryville. Meredith and Averett ruled the East voting with four firsts each and 59 and 58 points.

* Chattanooga State will begin its first volleyball season a week from today at Snead State's tournament in Boaz, Alabama, and then play its historic home opener on Aug. 28 at 6 p.m. against Hiwassee with Georgia Northwestern visiting two nights later. Coach Janet Tate's Lady Tigers also will host Snead on Sept. 5, Bryan's junior varsity on Sept. 7, Cleveland State on Oct. 10, Walters State on Oct. 16 and The Crown College on Oct. 22, all starting at 6. They'll also play nearby at Covenant on Sept. 12, Cleveland State on Sept. 19, Hiwassee on Sept. 24, Snead on Sept. 27, GNTC on Oct. 5 and Bryan on Oct. 8. The NJCAA Region VII playoffs are set for Oct. 27 at Cleveland State.

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