Standout Performances: Week Six
Week six came and went, but which athletes stood out during the holiday weekend?
Luke Langlinais – San Antonio Soldados (C)
One of the veterans of the sport on the San Antonio Soldados roster, chaser Luke Langlinais stepped up when the games against the League City Legends tightened and helped his team meet the challenge and stay undefeated through six games. Langlinais has always been tough to stop with a full head of steam in transition, but he has improved as an operator in the half court this season, playing off primary ballcarriers in a supporting role much more comfortably. He finished with 12 goals, two assists, and three stops, with only three turnovers on heavy usage.
Conner Mason – League City Legends (B)
While League City Legends keeper Hayden Boyes continues to build his South Division MVP case – he scored 13 goals against the San Antonio Soldados and is currently leading the league in scoring by 15 goals – the contributions of Conner Mason stood out in the beater game. Though the Soldados beaters generally had the edge, Mason recorded a team-high plus/minus of three for the Legends and secured 1.45 average dodgeballs, matching the totals of the top San Antonio performers. He logged relatively limited minutes with only 20 drives played, but it was the second series this season that Mason had acquitted himself well. Against the New Orleans Curse, he was second in plus/minus and first in average dodgeballs on his team.
Veronica Hoffman – Chicago Prowl (B)
Playing big minutes for the first time in her MLQ career, beater Veronica Hoffman put up monster numbers for the Chicago Prowl in the shadow of the Cleveland skyline. She finished with a plus/minus of 20, tied for third in a single series in MLQ this summer behind Washington Admirals beater Adrian Koretsky and her teammate Tad Walters and alongside her beating partner Jim Richert and New York Titans beater Elizabeth Lawson-Keister. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign product has emerged as a pivotal piece for the Prowl as they look to build their beating depth. As head coach Kennedy Murphy has integrated younger players into her rotations, Hoffman has rewarded her trust.
Lacey Hutchman – Cleveland Riff (B)
The Cleveland Riff’s best scoring chances all tended to occur when beater Lacey Hutchman was on the pitch, teamed with her new beating partner Peter Brechting. She had a say in six of the nine goals that the Riff scored across their three games. While no Cleveland beater finished with more than one average dodgeball, Hutchman led the way for her team with 0.97, showing her commitment to getting dodgeballs in the play and her ability to communicate in challenging situations. Along with Brechting, a converted keeper, she leveraged her experience to help to create memorable moments for the Riff this weekend.
Emily Naftel – Ottawa Black Bears (B)
No player is more important to the Ottawa Black Bears than longtime utility Emily Naftel, who primarily beat against the New York Titans. They played 52 drives, taking on the toughest matchups and gutting through long shifts with few substitutes. They help the Black Bears stay organized on defense and set the standard for hustle and athleticism on the pitch. Long-term, their example is key to training the next generation of Ottawa Black Bears to compete against the East Division’s best and ultimately get back into the win column.
Shakti Kodeswaran – New York Titans (C)
In the same week that he was named to the US National Team Development Academy roster for his exploits with Brandeis University at the college level, chaser Shakti Kodeswaran broke out at the MLQ level. He posted a team-leading statline of 10 goals, four assists, and six stops and he committed only three turnovers for the New York Titans. While he showed glimpses of his explosiveness when he was subbed onto the field in game three against the Boston Forge, the series against the Ottawa Black Bears was a great place for him to gain his footing for the Titans ahead of the MLQ Championship in Howard County, Md.
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