WISE, Va. – Freshman men's golfer
Alex Arnold and freshman women's tennis player
Aya Melhem have been named Cavaliers of the Month for October, the UVa-Wise athletic department announced Monday morning.
Hailing from Wytheville, Virginia (George Wythe H.S.), Arnold began the month with a 15th place finish at the Mountain East Fall Classic. Arnold finished the event with a two-day total of 152 thanks to an opening round score of 75 in aiding the Cavaliers to a fifth place finish in the event.
A week later, Arnold turned in one of the best performances in school history when he posted three rounds in the 70's at the MEC Men's Golf Championship to aid UVa-Wise to the team crown.
Arnold began the tournament with a 70, it would be the lowest score recorded in the event as the freshman led the tournament after day one.
Arnold would end up with a three-day total of 222 to finish in a tie for medalist honors, forcing a playoff hole. The former George Wythe standout would par the whole but come up short in the one hole playoff but not before his day three score of 73 led UVa-Wise to its first ever men's golf conference championship.
Arnold finished the month with his third top-15 performance, a 14th place finish at the Barton College Invitational. In that event, he shot a 73 on day one to fire a 151 in the two-day tournament. Overall, Arnold played seven rounds of golf in the month of October and all seven rounds resulted in the freshman carding a score in the 70's.
A native of Rockvale, Tennessee (Blackman H.S.), Melhem garnered All-MEC Second Team honors in her first year as a Cav. Earning the most wins of any UVa-Wise women's tennis player at No. 2 singles this season, Melhem went 4-2 in singles during the month of October. The righty also posted a 4-3 doubles record for the month, going 2-1 with fellow freshman
Taylor Carter (Church Hill, Tenn.) and 2-2 with senior
Bailey Christoforatos (Fredericksburg, Va.).
Melhem only lost one singles match to a MEC opponent during the month of October and scored wins over two All-MEC performers. She defeated first-team all-conference selection Elise Edwards of the University of Charleston, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 1-0 (10-8), back on Oct. 1 before taking down fellow second-teamer Marta Yevstakhevych of West Virginia State, 3-6, 6-4, 1-0 (10-8), in Wise on Oct. 16. The freshman showed her toughness by claiming three, three-set singles wins during the month.
In doubles, Melhem faltered only once against MEC opponents during the month of October while claiming three victories. With Christoforatos, Melhem gained one of the Cavs' two matches won against West Liberty University in the opening round of the MEC Tournament as the duo defeated Raquel Cabero and Alaina Pauley, 8-6, at second doubles.
