It was a strong weekend for the lady Jumbos, and two NESCAC Player of the Week honors are the rewards for their efforts.
Women's soccer junior midfielder Martha Furtek received the nod for her outstanding play in a week that saw her team's first two wins of the season. Against Babson on Tuesday Furtek scored a goal and assisted on another in the first 30 minutes of play, giving the Jumbos the 2-0 lead over the rival Beavers.
On the big stage of Homecoming Weekend, the Jumbos faced Bates in a rematch of last year's NESCAC championship. Furtek's lone goal in the 67th minute would be all the team needed to walk away with the win. Furtek was also responsible for the tying goal against Amherst that allowed the Jumbos to escape with a 2-2 tie. Her three goals comprise half of the team's offensive output this season.
The volleyball team also came off the crowning weekend of the 2006 season so far. The Jumbos hosted and won the 2006 Tufts Invitational, finally getting the best of regional powerhouse and season rival MIT, improving to 12-4 overall in the process. Crucial in the weekend win was sophomore setter Kaitlin O' Reilly, who earned the tournament's Most Valuable Player award in addition to her NESCAC Player of the Week honor.
During the weekend, O'Reilly accrued 31 digs, four kills, two service aces, and four blocks in three of four matches this weekend, averaging 11.18 assists per game. She contributed 46 assists, 16 digs and two block assists in the weekend's biggest match, sparking the Jumbos' rally back from a 2-1 deficit against the Engineers.
O'Reilly ranks third in the NESCAC with an average of 10.67 assists in 51 games. The sophomore is a repeat Player of the Week, first getting recognized in Week 3 of the 2005 season after a killer performance in the MIT Invitational.
-Andrew Bauld
