College Update: Lund quickly steps into collegiate spotlight
The following are updates on area athletes at the collegiate level.
Kayla Lund (Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, 2017) University of Pittsburgh women’s volleyball freshman: Though only a newcomer to the program and college volleyball, the two-time All-Area Girls’ Volleyball Player of the Year has already made an impact.
Lund is currently No. 2 on the Panthers with 27 kills and third in digs with 31 at the outside hitter position.
Pittsburgh is 1-2 with losses against No. 3 Washington (3-0) and No. 9 Creighton (3-0), followed up by the team’s first victory of 2017 on Saturday.
The Panthers defeated Saint Mary’s, 25-22, 22-25, 25-22, 20-25, 17-15, in Seattle in the final game of the Washington Husky Invitational.
In that contest, Lund tallied eight kills, 16 digs and three blocks.
Earlier that day, Lund led the Panthers with 13 kills and nine digs in Pittsburgh’s 25-19, 25-22, 25-17 loss to Creighton.
Kevin Garcia (Burroughs, 2012, Glendale Community College, 2017) University of Saint Mary’s football junior: The interesting tale of the one-time soccer standout continues to fascinate.
Garcia earned All-Area and All-CIF second-team honors for the Indians as a soccer fullback in 2012 and won a kicking job with the Glendale Community College football team last season after impressing during a flag football competition.
Garcia converted his lone field goal try last season, while making eight of nine extra-point attempts. He also punted four times and averaged 31 yards per attempt.
On Saturday, the Burbank native showed off his kicking talents for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics University of Saint Mary’s football team, which is located in Leavenworth, Kan.
The Spires blitzed visiting Trinity Bible College, 49-0, on Saturday with Garcia contributing to the victory. The junior converted all seven of his extra-point attempts while landing five of his eight kickoffs for touchbacks.
Sophia Coffey (Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, 2015) University of Seton Hall women’s volleyball junior: Maybe no player is more of a reliable returner for the Pirates than Coffey.
The former All-Area Girls’ Volleyball Player of the Year paced the Pirates in total assists (875) and assists per game (7.42) in 2016 and is trying to continue that pace this season.
Seton Hall is 2-1 and Coffey leads the squad with 62 assists, which averages to 5.64 assists per set, and is second in digs (30).
Seton Hall is coming off a 27-25, 25-21, 25-15 victory over Northwestern State in Norman, Okla. in the finale of the Oklahoma Invitational on Saturday. In that contest, Coffey finished with 16 assists and 11 digs.
Perhaps Coffey’s best effort took place Friday in which she totaled 22 assists and 13 digs in Seton Hall’s 25-23, 25-23, 21-25, 17-25, 15-11 victory over Oklahoma.
Lilly Urumieh (Crescenta Valley, 2015) Pasadena City College women’s soccer redshirt freshman: A Pasadena City College program that has seen its share of struggles in recent years is hopeful for a breakthrough season thanks to an infusion of local talent.
One such player leading the early turnaround is Urumieh, a Glendale native and former player at Cal State Northridge. The goalie needed only one save to pitch a shutout in Pasadena’s 2-0 triumph over Glendale Community College on Tuesday evening.
The win moved Pasadena to 2-0, which is the best start for the squad in nine years. The Lancers’ two wins are also already just one triumph short of matching last year’s total.
Urumieh has recorded four saves and allowed only one goal.
Urumieh is one of seven area players on the squad. Crescenta Valley High alumnus and Kansas Wesleyan bounce-back Brianna Aguilar has scored a goal this season as well as freshman defender Jocelyn Carranza of Glendale.
