Lake Zurich grad Walding giving Northeastern a big assist

When she played for Lake Zurich's girls volleyball team, Kristen Walding was referred to as an assist machine.

She is still making her teammates look good - now at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass.

After earning her seventh double-double of the season in a thrilling five-set win against Elon University (N.C), Walding was named CAA Rookie of the Week.

The freshman setter collected 54 assists, averaging 6.75 per set and netted 20 digs as well as 7 kills in two weekend matches.

Walding's 35 assists and 15 digs against Elon helped guide the Huskies to a dramatic 3-2 win over the Phoenix in front of the home crowd at Cabot Center.

During her first-year campaign, Walding has risen up to the challenge of being the Huskies' primary setter.

Her 9.79 assists per set average in conference matches ranks fourth best in the CAA.

She is the second Northeastern freshman to receive the league's Rookie of the Week honors this season.

Women's volleyball

Lewis senior Amy Choi (Vernon Hills) finished with 17 digs in the Flyers 25-15, 25-23, 25-21 victory over Drury University in Springfield, Mo.

The Great Lakes Valley Conference match win gave Lewis 20 wins overall for the season.

She was honored before the match for recording her 2,000th career dig on Oct. 29 at UW-Parkside.

Choi now has 2,023 digs in a Lewis uniform, most all-time for a Flyer.

Girls basketball

The Libertyville Jcats feeder basketball program has announced its clinic and tryout dates. The clinics will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 5 in the LHS Main Gym, 5th and 6th graders from 6-7:30 p.m. and 7th and 8th graders from 7:30-9 p.m. Tryouts will be held on Monday, Nov. 17, Wednesday, Nov. 19 and Sunday, Nov. 23. All tryouts will be at Liberhtyville High Schools; the Jcats are the recognized feeder program for Libertyville. Jcat practices will start in early December. The season goes through mid-March. The program consists of A and B teams in 5th-8th grades. The Jcats will play about 35 games. For more information on the clinics and tryouts, go to www.libertyvillejcats.com.

Men's swimming

Lewis sophomore Bryan Wiener (Mundelein) was part of 200 freestyle relay team that used a time of 1:24.76 to defeat Grand Valley State by more than two seconds. The win gave Lewis 11 points and the Flyers ended up tying GVS 131-131 in the meet.

Men's soccer

Augustana's Anthony D'Angelo (Stevenson) finished the season with 4 goals to tie for the team lead. Teammate Adam Witucki (Libertyville) was part of a Vikings defense that surrendered just 17 goals in 18 matches.

• Liberty senior goalkeeper Scott Sutarik (Fremd) was named the Big South men's soccer defensive player of the week twice in October.

The first time, he faced 18 shots at Gardner-Webb and did not allow a goal in a 1-0 win. He made 4 saves and earned his third shutout of the season. The conference victory was the first of the season for the Flames.

Then, later in the month, he earned the award with two victories, including a 1-0 shutout at Longwood.

He faced 16 shots in 90 minutes but did not surrender a goal to the Lancers.

Then against UNC-Asheville, Sutarik allowed just 1 goal and helped lead the Flames to a 3-1 win.

During the two weeks, Sutarik recorded 3 wins, including 2 shutouts. He now has four shutouts for the season, moving him into third place in Liberty's career list with 20 shutouts.

• Lewis University junior midfielder Lenin Roa-Tapia (Hoffman Estates) assisted on the Flyers' first goal in a 1-1 double overtime tie against Wisconsin-Parkside.

The Flyers (10-4-3, 9-3-3) clinched the No. 4 seed in the upcoming Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship Tournament.

Football

Former St. Viator receiver Kevin Hammarlund made some big catches in his high school football career in Arlington Heights.

Now a sophomore wide receiver for Washington University in St. Louis, Hammarlund is still hauling in passes.

And he was recently recognized for his efforts by the University Athletic Association.

Hammarlund received the UAA Football 'Offensive Athlete of the Week' honors for the first time in his career after making 7 catches for a career-high 153 yards in the Bears' 44-23 loss at the University of Chicago.

His career-long catch of 58 yards in the first quarter led to Washington's first score of the game.

Hammarlund leads the UAA in receiving yards per game (66.0) and is second in touchdowns (4).

Women's soccer

Rockhurst University senior Taylor Skala earned the Disney Soccer/NSCAA Player of the Week by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.

It marked the sixth time in the past seven weeks, a Great Lakes Valley Conference soccer standout earned the national honor.

Skala, the reigning Great Lakes Valley Conference 'Offensive Player of the Week', collected 9 points on 4 goals and 1 assist in two wins during just 128 minutes of play.

She scored 2 goals in Rockhurst's 3-0 win over Drury, including the game-winner. She added 2 goals, one of which was the game-winner, and an assist in a 5-2 win at Missouri S&T.

Skala leads the GLVC in goals (15), points (33) and game-winning goals (7).

It is the first weekly national honor in Skala's career and the second for Rockhurst as the Hawks' Mark Magee earned the men's award on Sept. 24, 2013.

• Please email Sports Notes items to jleusch@dailyherald.com.