Area Sports Roundup | U.S. hockey star Abbey Murphy scores quickest goal in tourney

By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer

At age 20, Abbey Murphy did something that will be difficult to top.

In the United States women’s hockey victory over Switzerland on April 7 in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship, the Mother McAuley graduate scored the quickest goal in an IIHF championship final, finding the net seven seconds into the game in Brampton, Ontario.

That beat the previous record of 13 seconds, set by Germany’s Maren Valenti on April 17,1994 in a consolation-round game against Switzerland.

Murphy, who hails from Evergreen Park, accomplished the record a week before turning 21.

USA won the Switzerland game, 9-1, and went on to win the Women’s World Championship. Murphy had a goal in a 6-3 victory over Canada for the title on April 16. She had five goals and three assists in seven games.

Another local hockey hero, Kendall Coyne Schofield, missed the competition as she is pregnant.

Marist’s Brendan Schoeberl uses a little body English to coax an ace against Glenbard West on April 22. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Unbeaten no more
The way Marist boys volleyball coach Jordan Vidovic figures it, the RedHawks’ record hasn’t reflected the true nature of the team.

Marist racked up 20 straight wins and was ranked third in the nation by the lates USA Today/American Volleyball Coaches’ Association poll before getting beat by defending state champion Glenbard West, 25-22, 25-21 on April 22 at the Brother Rice Smack Attack at Saint Xavier University.

Vidovic said playing teams the caliber of Glenbard West will help his team down the line.

“That’s why we’re here,” he said. “Man, we love it. There was no guarantee we would even get to this game. To be able to play them and get it under our belt is great. It’s big picture, which we love, and we embrace that type of competition.”

Marist has had some tight three-game wins over Lincoln-Way East, Lincoln-Way West and Hononegah this season, so despite the gaudy ranking, the RedHawks knew they had work ahead of them.

“We have a long way to go,” Vidovic said. “We knew that. Our record says what it is, but our conversations are different inside our own gym. We know we’re not there yet.”

Brother Rice finished third in the tournament, St. Rita 10^th, Riverside-Brookfield 17^th, St. Laurence 19^th and Reavis 21^st.

Marist’s Christian Teresi and Brendan Schoeberl, Brother Rice’s Nathan Kramer and Michael Bos, St. Rita’s Aidan Peloquin and Riverside-Brookfield’s Sebastien Ciszewski made the all-tournament team.

Brother Rice’s Michael Bos (left) jousts with a York opponent in the Smack Attack third-place game. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Kmiec new NCC coach
Former Sandburg basketball standout and Palos Park native Vince Kmiec has been named the new men’s hoops coach at North Central College in Naperville.

Kmiec played at North Central and holds Cardinals records for steals with 179 and steals in a single season with 67 in 2012-13.

He is the first North Central grad to coach the team since Bill Warden dod so from 1981-1997.

All-Americans
The Saint Xavier men’s volleyball team’s two Polish freshmen didn’t wait long to become All-Americans.

Oskar Krzyzak, an opposite hitter, was named to the NAIA All-American first team and outside hitter Jan Lopuch was named honorable mention.

Krzyzak had 344 kills and a .344 hitting percentage in 25 matches and added 105 digs, 58 blocks and 38 aces.

Lopuch had 283 kills, a .335 hitting percentage, 510 receptions, 111 digs and 33 blocks.

Earlier in the month, the two players from Poland were named American Volleyball Coaches Association second-team All-Americans.