Six Monarchs Earn USA South Weekly Honors

Ex-Bandys tennis standout Toni Laney earns weekly conference honors

ROME, Ga. - Following a week of Monarch victories and many stellar individual performances, six Methodist student-athletes have garnered “athlete of the week” recognition from the USA South Athletic Conference. Two women’s lacrosse players, two men’s tennis players and two women’s tennis players represented Methodist on the conference’s list.

Will 11 points, 16 draw controls, eight ground balls and three caused turnovers across two games last week, Tia Marlinghaus was named the Women’s Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Week. The junior midfielder recorded a career-high five assists in Methodist’s win against Meredith and posted three goals with three assists in the win over Huntingdon.

Totaling 16 saves in two wins, Ashley Fuentes was named the Women’s Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week. The senior goalie also collected eight ground balls, one caused turnover and one draw control. In the win over Meredith, Fuentes recorded a career-high 15 saves.

The efforts made by Marlinghaus and Fuentes helped lead the Monarchs to a 15-14 victory over Meredith, snapping the Avenging Angels’ 65-game regular-season win streak versus USA South opponenets.

Earning the title of Men’s Tennis Player of the Week, Matthew Hurley claimed victory (6-2, 6-2) in the top singles match versus USA South foe Southern Virginia as well as the top doubles match against the Knights.

Hurley and Harry Crokam were named the Men’s Tennis Doubles Team of the Week as the duo earned an 8-2 victory over the No. 1 pair of Southern Virginia.

Earning the title of Women’s Tennis Player of the Week, Toni Laney went 2-0 at the top singles spot with wins against Southern Virginia and Johnson & Wales. In doubles, she posted a 1-1 record, teaming with Veva Willocks to secure a victory against Johnson & Wales.

With a 2-0 singles record and a 1-1 record in doubles matches, Emma Hulicki was named the Women’s Tennis Rookie of the Week. At the No. 2 singles spot for Methodist, the freshman earned wins against Southern Virginia and Johnson & Wales, then teamed up with Annabelle Subirats for a doubles win against a duo from Johnson & Wales.