Local college notes

Tracking the Bears

• After failing to qualify for postseason play for the first time in seven years last season, the Coast Guard Academy volleyball team is moving into position to earn at least an ECAC tournament berth. Sophomore Nicole Johnson leads the Bears (19-3, 4-2) with 164 kills and 42 aces.

• Senior Katie Kurek is chasing the women's soccer single-season scoring record, needing four goals in the last three games to tie Olivia Grant's mark of 13 set in 2001. She has 25 career goals at Coast Guard.

Camel notes

• The Connecticut College volleyball team has won nine of its last 10 matches to improve to 17-4 overall. At 7-2 in the New England Small College Athletic Conference, the Camels are in good shape as far as securing a conference tournament berth. Sophomore Amy Newman averages a NESCAC-leading 3.97 kills per set.

• With a win over at Tufts University tonight, the men's soccer team will clinch a spot in the conference tournament for the second straight year. Senior defender Mickey Lenzi has provided a spark since returning from an injury. The Camels are 6-3 overall and 3-3 in the conference.

• Doug Wright earned NESCAC runner-of-the-week honors after placing third in a 5k race at Williams College on Saturday.

Mitchell news

• After losing its first six games, the Mitchell College women's soccer team regrouped and won four of the next six games. The Mariners, 4-8 overall, are climbing the New England College Conference standing, sitting in third with a 4-1 mark. Nikki Hoxie is the leading scorer with 12 goals and three assists and Paige Ehnot had three goals and six assists while Old Saybrook's Brittany O'Neil has started eight games in goal.

Around the region

• Alex Martins, a sophomore from Pawcatuck, scored the game-winning goal off a corner kick in Plymouth State's 1-0 win over UMass-Dartmouth on Saturday. It was his first goal of the season.

• New London High School graduate David Reed ranks first in receptions (38) and receiving yards (546) on the University of Utah football team. He's also caught a team-high-tying three touchdown passes.

• A pair of Stonington High School graduates are playing for the Providence College women's soccer team this fall. Junior midfielder Lindsey Trubia has appeared in all 17 games, starting 11, while sophomore midfielder Emily Castle has played in 17 games for the Friars (7-7-3).

- Gavin Keefe