Athletes Beyond Bartow: Fields wins conference title, local Fall sports athletes continue contribut
Kingston resident Spencer Fields was the individual champion and led his Rhodes College cross country team to the Southern Athletic Association conference championship Saturday at Nash Farms Battlefield in Hampton, GA. The Lynx, who took five of the top six spots in the conference race, advance to the NCAA D-III regionals in Virginia November 11.
Several other local ‘Athletes Beyond Bartow’ continued their contributions this week in college volleyball, cross country, soccer, swimming, and golf.
NOTE: This past week's football edition of 'Athletes Beyond Bartow' will be published separately.
VOLLEYBALL
KATIE O’CONNOR — Western Carolina University (Sr., MB, Cartersville HS). . . contributed nine kills, one dig, and three block assists in a four-set win Friday at Mercer. She added 16 kills, one defensive dig, and two block assists in a four-set loss Saturday at Samford. The Catamounts (9-16, 4-8 Southern Conference) host Wofford this Friday night and Furman Saturday night in SoCon matches.
ASHLEY WEST — Andrew College (Soph., Cass HS). . . played in all three sets of a loss October 21 to Pensacola Christian College played at Georgia Northwestern College. West had four digs in the match. Andrew completed the season with a 5-13 mark.
CROSS COUNTRY
AUBREE COLE — Jacksonville State University (Soph. Cartersville HS). . . ran 87th (21:27) overall and was fourth on her team as the Gamecocks finished 11th at the 5K Ohio Valley Conference Championships in Charleston, IL.
SPENCER FIELDS — Rhodes College (Jr., Kingston, GA, Darlington HS). . was the individual champion and led the 24th-ranked Lynx to the Southern Athletic Association conference championship this past Saturday at Nash Farms Battlefield in Hampton, GA. Fields completed the 8K run in 26:11, just ahead of teammates Dominic Voehler (26:17) and Toler Freyaldenhoven (26:20) as Rhodes took five of the top six spots and just missed a perfect score. Centre College finished second and Berry College was third. Next for Rhodes will be the NCAA regionals at Christopher Newport University in Virginia November 11.
SOCCER
MADISON BENNETT — North Greenville University (Soph., D, Woodland HS). . . played 23 minutes this past Saturday in the Crusaders’ 3-0 win over Converse College. NGU (8-6-4, 6-4-1 Conference Carolinas) also suffered a 1-0 loss last Tuesday at Lees-McRae College. The Crusaders open the conference tournament Monday afternoon at home against Barton College.
KATELYNN HARBEKE — Life University (Jr., MF, Cass HS). . . started and played 89 minutes in the Eagles’ 5-2 home loss to Cumberland University last Wednesday. Life (4-10, 1-6 Mid-South Conference) will be the No. 7 seed when the MSC tournament opens Friday in Bowling Green, KY.
CODY WEST — Duquesne University (R-Sr., D, Cass HS). . . played all 90 minutes in a 1-0 home loss Saturday to Dayton University. The Dukes’ grad student defender has started 15 of 16 games this season. Duquesne (3-12-1, 1-6 Atlantic 10 Conference) will not qualify for the A-10 championship tournament that begins Saturday. The Dukes close out the regular season Wednesday at Rhode Island.
SWIMMING
ELISE HART — U.S. Air Force Academy (Sr., Sprint-Free/Fly/Back, Cartersville HS). . . was part of the second place (1:46.96) 200-yard medley relay team and swam the final leg for her third place 400-yard freestyle relay team. She also placed fourth in the 50-yard free and fourth in the 100-yard butterfly as the Falcons’ women lost a dual meet against Wyoming 173-122 Saturday in Laramie. Air Force (5-4) travels to Flagstaff this Friday to face Northern Arizona and will compete against Grand Canyon University Saturday in Phoenix.
GOLF
MAGGIE ASHMORE — Augusta University (Sr., Kingston, GA, Heritage Golf Academy, Hilton Head, SC). . . tied for 60th in a 73-player field as the Jaguars placed 11th of thirteen teams at the Atlanta Athletic Club Ladies Fall Intercollegiate Invitational. Ashmore shot rounds of 88-79 and was fourth on her team. Kennesaw State and Louisville were named tournament co-champions after Sunday’s final round was cancelled due to weather. Illinois, Georgia, and Indiana rounded out the top five teams. This was the final Fall event for Augusta who will continue the 2017-18 season in February.
LINDSAY BONNER — York College (PA) (Fr., Cartersville HS). . . was fourth on her team and 13th individually in the 28-player field as York College won the five-team Goucher Fall Invitational played at Hillendale Country Club in Phoenix, MD. It was the final Fall tournament for York. Other teams in the field were runner-up University of Mary Washington, Goucher College, Southern Virginia, and Juniata College. Bonner shot 106-103 in the 36-hole event.
HANNAH MAE DEEMS — Mercer University (Sr., Taylorsville, GA, Darlington HS). . . had a team leading 7-over-par, 54-hole total and tied for 12th overall with rounds of 77-76-70 last Sunday through Tuesday at the Palmetto Intercollegiate Championship played at Turtle Point GC in Kiawah Island, SC. The Bears finished 8th in the 17-team field that included 90 players. The tournament was won by Ole Miss. Mercer hosts the Idle Hour Collegiate Championship Monday and Tuesday October 30-31 in Macon.
