TWO HONORED BY LITTLE EAST

Slonski repeats honors; Fantl recognized for first time this season

Below: Slonski, Fantl

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. - Two  athletes have been recognized by the Little East Conference for the week ending Sept. 13 during the weekly fall awards program.

Sophomore outside hitter Samantha Slonski (Griswold) repeated as the LEC's Defensive Player-of-the-Week in women's volleyball, and senior forward Maxim Fantl (West Hartford) was recognized as the Offensive Player-of-the-Week in men's soccer. Dating back to the 2008 season, the honor is the fourth in the last eight weeks for Fantl, a team co-captain and 2008 LEC Offensive Player-of-the-Year and first-team All-New England Region choice.

The 5-foot-7 inch Slonski represented Eastern on the Endicott College Invitational all-tournament team this past weekend. In that tournament, she received 115 serves with a .957 success rate and was second on the team with an average of 4.14 digs per game. In addition to her defensive accomplishments, Slonski averaged 2.93 kills per game in that four-match tournament .

Slonski ranks second in the conference in digs per game (4.54), helping the Warriors to the conference's top ranking in that category. She also is rated fifth in kills per game (3.38) and sixth in points per game (3.83).

Eastern won three and lost two last week, splitting four matches at Endicott. The Warriors open their home season Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Trinity College.

Named LEC Offensive Player-of-the-Week three times in the final six weeks of last season, Fantl scored the first and last goals and assisted on another goal in Wednesday's 4-2 win over visiting Westfield State College, then converted a penalty kick late (his second in as many tries this year) in the first half to tie the match in an eventual 1-1 double overtime draw with visiting Ramapo College of New Jersey.

This year, Fantl has contributed to seven of nine goals for Eastern (3-0-1), ranked No. 4 in New England. He has five goals and two assists and leads or shares the LEC lead in five offensive categories.

In 65 career matches, Fantl has 37 goals and 16 assists for 90 points.

Eastern host Tufts University Tuesday at 7 p.m.