Area Trio Earn Weekly CL Honors
Press Release
AVON, Ohio – The Crossroads League Athletes of the Week were announced on Monday, recognizing the top athletes from the week of October 26 through November 1. Sports Information Directors from the league nominate student-athletes for the award and vote on each week’s winners.
Women’s Basketball Player of the Week
Kyannah Stull, Grace
Stull averaged 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game for Grace, helping the Lancers to a pair of wins. The senior had 13 points and six assists in the season-opener, before going off for 26 points on four-of-nine shooting from deep in a win over Concordia.
Of note, Stull moved into 12th place on Grace’s all-time scoring list as well during the week.
Men’s Basketball Player of the Week
Kyle Mangas, Indiana Wesleyan
Mangas scored 25-or-more points in each of No. 3 Indiana Wesleyan’s victories, and topped the 30-point plateau twice while averaging 32.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.3 steals per victory for IWU. Mangas was efficient in his attack, shooting 62.5 percent from the floor.
Volleyball Defender of the Week
Maddy Payne, Bethel
Payne picked up 23 more blocks over a trio of wins for Bethel, in addition to 21 kills and 12 digs. For the week, the standout freshman averaged 2.3 blocks, 2.1 kills and 1.2 digs per set for the Pilots. This is the third time this season Payne was issued a Crossroads POW Award.
Additionally, Payne was tabbed at the NAIA National Defender of the Week as well for her work with the Pilots last week.
Volleyball Attacker of the Week
Eliana Serdynski, Saint Francis
Serdynski returned from injury to give the USF attack a boost, hitting .560 with 3.2 kills per set in sweeps of Goshen and Spring Arbor. The sophomore had 16 kills to just two errors and added six blocks in the two victories.
Volleyball Setter of the Week
Maria Pelak, Saint Francis
Pelak repeated as the CL Setter of the Week by posting 11.2 assists per set in a pair of 3-0 victories for the Saint Francis squad. The senior setter tallied 31 assists against Goshen and 36 against SAU.
Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Lauren Marshall, Spring Arbor
Marshall scored five goals and added two assists for No. 24 Spring Arbor in its wins over Bethel and No. 2 Marian. The freshman forward tallied 10 points against Bethel with four goals and two assists, before adding an insurance goal in the 2-0 upset of second-ranked MU.
Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Becca Mindling, Spring Arbor
Mindling kept the No. 24 Spring Arbor squad rolling, highlighting a defensive unit that posted shutouts in wins over Bethel and No. 2 Marian. Mindling scored a goal in SAU’s 10-0 defeat of the Pilots and helped SAU hand Marian its first shutout of the season.
Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Sebastian Gonzalez, Marian
Gonzalez opened the scoring for Marian against No. 12 Spring Arbor with a goal just 12 seconds into the contest. The early score helped the Knights eventually battle to a 2-2 draw with the Cougars.
Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Brendan Weiger, Marian
Weiger picked up four saves and allowed only two goals to help Marian battle No. 12 Spring Arbor to a 2-2 draw.
***One additional note involving Grace College, women’s soccer goalkeeper Bethany Blackwood was named the NCCAA National Defender of the Week.
Blackwood has now registered three straight shutouts for the Lady Lancers.
The goalkeeper made four saves last week to beat Mt. Vernon Nazarene (1-0), who is receiving votes in the NAIA. She then blanked Bethel 1-0 on Monday in Grace’s regular season finale.
The Lady Lancers earned the No. 3 seed in the Crossroads League Tournament and will host St. Francis on Saturday at 7 p.m. in the quarterfinals.