
Kayla Wilkes Earns Midfielder of the Week Nod; Bestany Honorable Mention
April 14, 2025 | Lacrosse
IRVING, Texas – East Carolina lacrosse's Kayla Wilkes has been named the American Athletic Conference Midfielder of the Week, the league announced Monday. Additionally, Leah Bestany has earned weekly Honorable Mention recognition.
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Wilkes, a junior out of Sinking Spring, Pa., earned her first career weekly nod after a four-goal, two-assist, seven-draw control, five-ground ball, four-caused turnover output in two games last week. She kicked things off with two goals and an assist against No. 1 North Carolina before posting a phenomenal outing against Vanderbilt with a team-high six draw controls and three caused turnovers to go with another two goals and one assist.
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The game was Wilkes' third of the season with six-or-more draw controls and her ninth multi-goal game.
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For Bestany, it was an electric performance in the Vanderbilt victory that earned her an Honorable Mention nod. The senior out of Bethpage, N.Y., put up a team-high four goals and one critical assist in the game. The four tallies all game in the first half and the assist was a massive one, coming on Riley Matthiesen's game-winning goal with just 1.9 seconds remaining in the game.
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Bestany also scored her 100th career goal with her second score against Vanderbilt.
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Wilkes, Bestany and the Pirates will be back in action on Saturday at 1 p.m. as they travel to the Queen City for a conference meeting with Charlotte; and for ECU, there's some simple math in the game: win and you're in the American Athletic Conference Tournament.
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Wilkes, a junior out of Sinking Spring, Pa., earned her first career weekly nod after a four-goal, two-assist, seven-draw control, five-ground ball, four-caused turnover output in two games last week. She kicked things off with two goals and an assist against No. 1 North Carolina before posting a phenomenal outing against Vanderbilt with a team-high six draw controls and three caused turnovers to go with another two goals and one assist.
Â
The game was Wilkes' third of the season with six-or-more draw controls and her ninth multi-goal game.
Â
For Bestany, it was an electric performance in the Vanderbilt victory that earned her an Honorable Mention nod. The senior out of Bethpage, N.Y., put up a team-high four goals and one critical assist in the game. The four tallies all game in the first half and the assist was a massive one, coming on Riley Matthiesen's game-winning goal with just 1.9 seconds remaining in the game.
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Bestany also scored her 100th career goal with her second score against Vanderbilt.
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Wilkes, Bestany and the Pirates will be back in action on Saturday at 1 p.m. as they travel to the Queen City for a conference meeting with Charlotte; and for ECU, there's some simple math in the game: win and you're in the American Athletic Conference Tournament.
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