Nov. 17, 2005

Numerous Pioneers rack up OAC honors
Men and women’s soccer, volleyball

By Brea Gardner
gardnerb@marietta.edu

A number of Pioneers have recently been awarded fall sports honors for their outstanding work on and off the field from the OAC.
After a record-breaking season, six lady pioneer soccer players were awarded special post-season honors from the OAC in play and three were awarded for academic achievements in the classroom.

Among those picking up league recognition were Senior midfielder Amy Lehosit who was named first team All-OAC. She became just the second women’s soccer player ever to receive OAC recognition in each of her four years since goalkeeper Jenny Fleischer earned second team honors from 1996-99, and the fourth to be named to the first team. In 2005 Lehosit finished with a team-high seven goals, which ranked 10th in the league. She also added six assists, which was second on the squad and sixth in the OAC. Her 20 points ranker her ninth among all OAC players this season. Lehosit als closed out her Pioneer career as the school’s all-time assist leader with 28 and ranks second in career goals (27) and points (82), respectively.

Junior midfielder Jill Sorboro made the second team All-OAC list which became her first conference honor. She finished the fall season with a team best seven assists, which ranked her second in the conference. Her 0.44 assists per game was the highest in the league and she has now moved into fourth place on MC’s all-time assists list with 11. In addition, Sorboro added three goals for a total of 13 points on the year, which tied for the second-highest on the team.

Four other players, Seniors Bethany Blahnik, Kristin Drain, and Emilee Knowlton and freshman Jessica Martinez received honorable mention All-OAC honors.

Seniors Blahnik, Drain, and Knowlton teamed up again in representing Marietta College on the Academic All-OAC list. For Blahnik it is her third straight year that she has received academic recognition from the conference. The tough goalkeeper carries a 3.72 GPA as an allied health major. She was also recently named ESPN The Magazine Academic first team All-District IV and is on the ballot for Academic All-American honors.

Drain was a unanimous selection in 2005. The defender has a 3.29 GPA in petroleum engineering. This is also the senior’s third season of selection.

Knowlton was also a unanimous selection for 2005 after receiving honorable mention in 2004. The allied health major has entered the semester with a 3.78 GPA.

For the men’s soccer team, standout Carlos Recchia was selected first team All-OAC. In his first season Recchia finished with team highs in goals (12), assists (5), and points (29). The 12 goals and 29 points ranked him third among all players in the OAC. The forward had four multiple-goal games including his first ever collegiate hat trick. Recchia is also the first pioneer since Marcos Vaca in 2002 to earn first team recognition.

The men’s soccer Academic All-OAC team lists haven’t been released yet.

The women’s volleyball team, not willing to be left out, has also got in on this actio with four lady pioneer players earning recognition.
Junior middle blocker Ellen Doolittle was unanimously selected Academic All-OAC. After earning honorable mention in 2004, Doolittle became one of only six student-athletes unanimously selected. The advertising and Public Relations major carries a 3.80 GPA. She finished the season as the team leader in hitting percentage (.291),total blocks (66) and service aces (27), while finishing second in kills (201).
Teammates, Juniors Paige Burton and Jaymi Stephen and sophomore Jessica Craig, were given Academic All-OAC honorable mention for 2005.

Burton, a biology and marketing major carries a 3.42 GPA and finished first on the squad in service aces (27).

Stephens, an international business and spanish major with a 3.59 GPA, led the team in kills (250) and digs (283).
Libero/defensive specialist Craig carries a 3.82 GPA in biology. She finished the season with 230 digs and nine service aces.

Overall, the fall season has turned out to be an outstanding one with Marietta student-athletes grabbing several top-notch awards from the OAC for both their talent on the field and in their studies. This clearly shows that MC has many versatile, well-rounded student-athletes on its campus and the OAC agrees.