Athletes Beyond Bartow update: O'Connor sets school record, Fields wins Rhodes XC Invitational

Football is not the only Fall sport in full swing at the collegiate level. Bartow County has athletes competing in several other sports at the college level this time of year.

With a tremendous accomplishment, former Cartersville volleyball standout Katie O’Connor became the Western Carolina University record holder this past weekend in matches in Birmingham. She is now the all-time WCU volleyball blocks assist leader.

NOTE: The Athletes Beyond Bartow update for football this past weekend will be published in a separate article.

VOLLEYBALL

KATIE O’CONNOR — Western Carolina University (Sr., MB, Cartersville HS). . . O’Connor became the Western Carolina University volleyball program record holder for block assists in a career Friday in her team’s first match at the Fight Like Hal Memorial Invitational in Birmingham. The Lady Catamount middle blocker posted four block assists in WCU’s three-set win over New Orleans. She added a block and 13 kills in the victory. In a four-set loss to UAB Friday, O’Connor had five kills and one block assist. In a win Saturday over Mississippi Valley State, she added six kills at WCU (5-8) won in three-straight sets. The Catamounts play at East Tennessee State Tuesday night and at Chattanooga Friday night.

PHOTO: O'Connor (right) with a block assist.

GOLF

MAGGIE ASHMORE — Augusta State University (Sr., Kingston resident, Heritage Golf Academy, SC) . . . was second for the Lady Jaguars with rounds of 75-71-71 and tied for 28th overall at the Jim West Challenge at The Fazio Course at The Club at Carlton Woods in The Woodlands, TX September 11-12. The Lady Jags finished 9th in the 13-team field. The Duke women won the 54-hole event by 22 strokes over Oklahoma and 23 shots ahead of Texas Tech. ASU plays in the Lady Paladin Invitational hosted by Furman University this Friday through Sunday in Greenville, SC.

LINDSEY BONNER — York College (PA) (Fr., Cartersville HS). . . shot rounds of 101-93 and placed third on her team and 14th overall at the four-team Bay Creek Invitational September 11-12 at Bay Creek Resork in Cape Charles, VA. The Lady Spartans finished second as a team behind Christopher Newport University. York placed fourth as a team this past weekend at the Penn State-Harrisburg Fall Invitational at Country Club of Harrisburg. Bonner shot a pair of 106 rounds to finish third on her roster and 19th overall in the five-team event. The hosts, PSU-Harrisburg won the tournament, followed by Gettysburg College and Eastern University. The Spartans play next in Lexington, VA at the Washington & Lee Invitational October 2-3.

TENNIS

PEYTON GOLLHOFER — Ball State University (Jr., Cartersville, GA, Laurel Springs Academy). . . playing at the University of Cincinnati Invitational, Gollhofer partnered with Isabelle Dohanics at 2nd-line doubles to defeat their Xavier opponents 6-3; paired with Sarah Swiderski in a Line 2 6-3 loss to their University of Illinois-Chicago opponents; and won her Line 3 singles match over Antonella Bramato of Cincinnati 6-2, 6-2 last Friday. In Saturday’s action, Gollhofer paired with Dohanics to win a Line 1 doubles match over Cincinnati 7-5 and lost her Line 2 singles match vs. Xavier’s Sophia Abelson 6-1, 7-5. Next for BSU is the ITA Regionals at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, TN October 12-16.

SOCCER

MADISON BENNETT — North Greenville University (Sophomore, D, Woodland HS) . . . played 25 minutes in a 3-0 loss last Tuesday at Limestone College and added 11 minutes of playing time in the Crusaders 1-0 home win over King University last Saturday. NGU (2-3-1, 2-1 Conference Carolinas) hosts Bob Jones University in a non-conference match Tuesday before traveling to Franklin Springs, GA to play conference foe Emmanuel College on Saturday.

KATELYNN HARBEKE — Life University (Jr., MF, Cass HS) . . . took two shots, including one on goal last Wednesday in a 5-2 home loss to Bryan College (TN). Harbeke also took two shots and scored one goal Sunday afternoon as the Eagles blanked the Shaw University Bears 6-0. Life (3-3) plays at Middle Georgia State Friday in Macon and will host Faulkner University Monday night, September 25.

KATIE LAWHORN — Life University (Fr., MF, Adairsville HS) . . . was a starting midfielder in a 5-2 home loss to Bryan College (TN) last Wednesday and Sunday’s 6-0 win over Shaw. She scored one goal on her only shot taken in the Sunday victory. Life (3-3) plays at Middle Georgia State Friday in Macon and will host Faulkner University Monday night, September 25.

CODY WEST — Duquesne University (R-Sr., D, Cass HS). . . played all 90 minutes, took a pair of shots including one on goal as the Dukes defeated visiting Navy 2-1 Saturday in Pittsburgh. He did not participate in last Tuesday night’s 1-0 home loss to Wright State. Duquesne (2-4) plays at Temple Tuesday night and travels to Robert Morris next Sunday afternoon.

CROSS COUNTRY

AUBREE COLE — Jacksonville State University (Sophomore ,Cartersville HS). . . placed 35th individually in 20:04.7 and led her team at the Rhodes College 5000M Invitational this past Saturday in Memphis, TN. JSU finished 15th of 25 schools. The event, with 242 runners, was won by Arkansas State. Next for JSU is the Foothills Invitational September 30 in Oxford, AL.

SPENCER FIELDS — Rhodes College (Junior, Kingston, GA, Darlington HS). . . won the 8000M Rhodes College Invitational this past Saturday at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, TN with a time of 25:43.7 and led the Lynx to a team championship as well. Division III Rhodes finished with 30 team points and was 57 points ahead of D-I Memphis. There were 20 teams and 222 individual runners in the invitational meet. Fields finished 3.3 seconds ahead of teammate Ryan Phillips to claim the individual title. The Lynx had four runners in the top seven and five in the top sixteen on their home course.