Correction

In Wednesday’s edition, a Niles girls soccer story stated that Jazmine Smith scored for the Red Dragons in a regional semifinal against Fairview. Cali Rodgers scored in the second half, finishing with two goals, including a hard-shot goal in the first half to get the Dragons on the board.

YSU volleyball wins fifth straight

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — For the second time in four days, the Youngstown State volleyball team surpassed the previous school record for highest attack percentage in a Horizon League match. The Penguins hit .372 against Robert Morris on Tuesday night and swept the Colonials 25-14, 25-21, 25-20 at the UPMC Events Center.

Youngstown State has now won five straight matches while hitting at least.311 in each victory. The Penguins hit .365 in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Milwaukee, then topped that by posting 46 kills and just four errors on 113 attempts on Tuesday. YSU improved to 12-11 overall and 7-5 in Horizon League play, while Robert Morris dropped to 7-16 and 3-9 in the league.

Kameron Blizniak directed a balanced offense with 34 assists, helping pin hitters Abbie Householder (Canfield), Layne Graffice and Gabriela Machin each record between 11 and 13 kills. Householder and Graffice both tallied 13 kills, with Householder hitting .500 on 26 attempts. Machin added 11 kills to round out the attack. Blizniak also led the team with 12 digs, and Taya Nordmann posted five blocks to help the Penguins finish with nine as a unit.

Natalie Stapanovich finished with 13 kills and 14 digs for RMU. The Colonials had two blocks, meaning the Penguins had just two unforced attack errors all night.

Youngstown State scored the first six points of the night and led by at least four the rest of the way in a 25-14 opening-set victory. The Penguins did not trail after taking a 12-11 lead on an Izzy Henry kill in the second set, and their final deficit of the night was 5-4 in the third. A Graffice kill tied the score and gave the Penguins a sideout, and Householder followed with three consecutive kills to put YSU up 8-5. Robert Morris tied the score at 14 and 16, but the Penguins outscored their closest conference rival 4-1 down the stretch to finish the sweep.

Youngstown State will continue its road swing with two matches at Oakland on Friday and Saturday.

Mammoth sign Cooley to extension

SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Mammoth signed Logan Cooley to an eight-year, $80 million extension, a deal that keeps the budding star center under contract through 2033-34.

Cooley will count $10 million against the salary cap beginning when the contract that was announced Wednesday kicks in next season.

“Logan is elite in every sense of the word,” owner Ryan Smith said. “He’s one of the most exciting young players in the league, and the fact that he’s chosen to plant roots here in Utah says everything about what we’re building.”

The 21-year-old Cooley has eight goals and four assists in 11 games, helping Utah get off to a strong start in the club’s first season known as the Mammoth, leading the Western Conference with a record of 8-3-1.

“We have an opportunity to do something special here thanks to the incredible people in the organization,” said Cooley, a Pittsburgh native who was the third pick in the 2022 draft by the then-Arizona Coyotes. “This is an awesome day for me and my family, and I am proud to commit to the state of Utah and to the Mammoth.”

Only four NHL players have scored more goals than Cooley so far, and he’s an emerging candidate to make the U.S. Olympic roster.

“Logan is not only an incredible player but an even better person and we look forward to watching him grow,” general manager Bill Armstrong said. “He, along with the rest of our core group, will have an impact in Utah for many years to come.”

Hutchinson gets new deal from Lions

ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions signed star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson on Wednesday to a contract extension through the 2030 season.

The No. 2 overall pick out of Michigan in 2022, Hutchinson has 34 1/2 sacks in 46 career games. He also has 78 quarterback hits, 36 tackles for loss, 11 pass defenses, eight forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and four interceptions.

Hutchinson made the Pro Bowl in 2023 and had 7 1/2 sacks in five games last year before he broke his leg. He has six sacks in seven games this season for the Lions (5-2).

Hutchinson currently leads the NFL in pressures generated (48), quarterback hurries (33) and strip-sacks (three) while also tying for the most forced fumbles (four).