Sports briefs: Marin Catholic’s Lovette set for March Madness with Lehigh
Former Marin Catholic standout Gracyn Lovette and the Lehigh University women’s basketball team are set to face Duke in the first round of March Madness on Friday.
Lovette dished out a team-high four assists, pulled down two rebounds and had a steal in 18 minutes off the bench as the Mountain Hawks secured a 74-62 victory against Army West Point in the Patriot League championship game on Sunday.
Lehigh is making its fifth trip into the NCAA Tournament and first since 2021 when it was seeded 14th and lost to No. 3 seed West Virginia in the first round. Friday will mark the first meeting between Lehigh, a No. 15 seed this time around, and No. 2 Duke.
Lovette, a sophomore guard from San Rafael, averaged 4.3 points and 3.0 rebounds while playing in all 33 games this season for Lehigh. Lovette started seven games and notched season highs of 14 points against Colgate on Jan. 8, of seven assists against Northwestern on Nov. 18, and of seven rebounds against Loyola Maryland on Jan. 18.
Lovette was a time-time MCAL player of the year in 2022 and 2023, helping lead the Wildcats to MCAL and North Coast Section titles in both seasons.
Prep softball
Sam Singer and Ana Flandermeyer had two hits and drove in two runs apiece as Archie Williams opened MCAL play with an 8-1 victory against Novato on Monday.
The Peregrine Falcons (6-1, 1-0 MCAL) pounced on the Hornets early with four runs in the first inning and three more in the third. Pitcher Paige Murphy threw another one-hitter, with nine strikeouts and one earned run over seven innings.
Seanna Madsen had the lone hit for Novato (2-5, 0-1). Izzy Rykov and Claire Hannan combined to limit Archie Williams to five hits. Novato issued seven walks and committed three errors.
- The wet weather postponed games between Tam and Terra Linda, plus Redwood against Marin Catholic. Tam and TL will make up their game on March 28, pending officials.
- Taylor Testa pitched all seven innings for San Marin, outdueling Thomara Drummer and San Rafael 2-1 on Monday night. Testa delivered the biggest hit of the game with an RBI triple to tie the game at 1-1 in the third. San Marin went in front 2-1 on an RBI groundout by Savannah Reynolds in the fifth. Testa and Lauren Fong had two hits apiece for the Mustangs (3-1, 1-0). Sophia Everett had two hits for San Rafael (1-5, 0-1). Drummer had an RBI groundout in the first inning, scoring Everett for the Bulldogs’ only run. Drummer went six innings with five hits and two earned runs against 10 strikeouts.
College softball
Taylor Rodriguez pitched a complete game, earning her seventh win of the season as Dominican took down Chaminade 4-0 in the second game of a doubleheader on Monday. Dominican (17-14, 8-7 PacWest) walked off with a 6-5 win in the first game.
Rodriguez allowed three hits in seven innings, striking out seven against no walks. Morgan Saucedo hit a two-run double in the fourth inning then Rodriguez helped her own cause with a solo home run for a 4-0 lead.
Taylor Eby had two hits and two RBIs in the first game, including a single up the middle to win it in the seventh.
Boys golf
Hayden Thill shot a 73 at Silverado Resort in Napa to take second place individually and lead Tam to a second-place team finish on Monday.
Bed Friedman and Shade Murray both carded 75s for the Red-tailed Hawks, who had a team total of 301 to finish behind St. Francis (297) but ahead of third-place hosts Justin-Siena (311).
Marin Academy (316), Redwood (319), Marin Catholic (320), Branson (337), and Terra Linda (382) also competed at the event.
MC’s Theo Anderson shot a 76. MA’s Charlie Hansen and Dylan Siegel, plus Redwood’s Brody Root carded 77s. MA’s Charlie Wilheim and Tam’s Max Berg shot 78s. Redwood’s Cole O’Connell and Branson’s Carl Smith both carded 79s.