By Greg Halbleib
Pontiac girls swimming lost a dual at LaSalle-Peru 57-37.
Pontiac girls volleyball lost at Olympia 25-9, 17-25, 25-11. Central Catholic topped Prairie Central and U-High beat Mahomet-Seymour.
The University of Illinois is hosting a dedication ceremony next month to celebrate the end of three years and $170 million worth of renovation work at State Farm Center. The ceremony is scheduled for November 29 during the men’s basketball game against North Carolina State.
The Cubs find themselves down two games to one in the National League Championship Series after the Dodgers picked up a 6-0 Game 3 win. It’s the first time that the Cubs have been shut out in consecutive games this season. Former Cub Rich Hill worked six innings and gave up just two hits. Game 4 is tonight as right-hander John Lackey starts on the mound for the Cubs against Dodgers lefty Julio Urias.
The Blue Jays are still alive in the American League Championship Series, avoiding a sweep with a 5-1 win over the Indians. Game 5 is this afternoon. Lefty Ryan Merritt takes the ball for the Indians against Jays right-hander Marco Estrada.
The Blackhawks coughed up a four-goal lead but rallied for a 7-4 win over the Philadelphia Flyers. Blackhawk Marian Hossa became the 44th player to enter the NHL’s 500-goal club.
Illinois Wesleyan volleyball lost a five-set thriller at Wheaton.
Illinois Wesleyan women’s soccer edged Millikin 2-1.
Illinois State took two of the weekly Missouri Valley Conference women’s soccer awards, Kelli Zickert on offense and Paige Jarsombeck on defense.
Illinois State football has completed its 2017 schedule with a road game at Northern Arizona. NAU returns the game with a 2019 visit to Hancock Stadium.
As expected, Illinois State football coach Brock Spack has been mentioned as a possibility to fill the vacant head coaching position at Purdue, but Spack says his focus is on turning the Redbirds around and the Boilermakers are not on his radar.
