Westmoreland campus clippings: Greensburg native Goetz cruises to Mountaineer Invitational title

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, April 14, 2021 | 4:44 PM

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Mark Goetz wasn’t playing Hannastown Golf Club, his home course in the summer months, but he sure looked at home at Pete Dye Golf Course in Bridgeport, W.Va.

That is the home course of the West Virginia golf team, which hosted the 54-hole Mountaineer Invitational.

Goetz, a Greensburg native, had the round of the tournament — and his career — as he posted a 7-under-par 65 in the third round Tuesday to finish at 12-under 204 to lap the field and claim his first collegiate title.

He was the only player under par and won by 12. Brice Wilkinson of Southern Mississippi was second at even 216.

Goetz went bogey-free over the final 18 holes and made seven birdies to top his previous best round by one shot. For the tournament, he made 16 birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey, and made par of better over his last 28 holes.

He finished tied for second in last year’s Mountaineer Invitational.

“Mark had an amazing round today,” WVU coach Sean Covich said. “The rough was like the U.S. Open with really tough conditions. He has been our leader all year. I kept telling him he’s going to win a tournament. To do it at home is pretty special.”

West Virginia finished at 7-under in the final round to win the team title (9 over) for the third straight time.

The 65 ties Goetz for the fourth-lowest round in program history. He carded a 70 and 69 in the first two rounds. His 204 is the second-lowest total for 54 holes at WVU.

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Softball

Pitt-Greensburg: Sophomore Corrin Parquette (Yough) had three hits, including a double, and freshman Taylor Bojtos (Ligonier Valley) had two hits and two RBIs as the Bobcats split a doubleheader with Mt. Aloysius. UPG won, 7-5.

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Women’s volleyball

Westminster: Junior Samantha Kelly (Penn-Trafford) had 18 assists to help lead the top-seeded Titans to a 3-0 victory over Washington & Jefferson in the PAC tournament semifinals.

Westminster (9-1) will meet No. 3 Grove City (7-4) in the championship match Thursday.

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Men’s track & field

Saint Vincent: Freshman John Hurley was named the Division III PAC Rookie of the Week after he won the 1,500-meter race at the Thiel Tomcat Invitational in a time of four minutes, 6.91 seconds — the second-fastest time in the conference this spring.

Seton Hill: Junior Sam Hartman was named the Division II PSAC Track Athlete of the Week. He reached a pair of NCAA provisional marks and broke two school records in the 110- and 400-meter hurdles at the Edward Frye Invitational at IUP. His times were 13.97 seconds (110) and 52.12 (400).

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Women’s lacrosse

Saint Vincent: Junior Joey Smith had nine points (3 goals, 6 assists), and senior Lucy Volna had six goals and one assist as the Bearcats (6-3, 3-1 PAC) took down Westminster, 21-9. Eight SVC players had at least one point.

Seton Hill: Senior midfielder Kate Kada was named the PSAC Western Division Athlete of the Week. She had five goals on just six shots in an 18-9 win over IUP as the Griffins moved to 7-0 (6-0).

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.