DENVER - Boise State forward Shannon Saxton and Idaho goalkeeper Anna Sandman have been named the Western Athletic Conference Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of Sept. 24.
Saxton, a freshman forward from Beaverton, Ore. (Beaverton), led Boise State to a 1-0-1 record at the Montana Nike Tournament in Missoula. She scored three goals, giving her 10 this season to move her within one of tying the Bronco school record for goals in a season. Saxton recorded two goals in the 3-3 double overtime draw with Oregon State and scored the game-winning goal against tournament host Montana Grizzlies. Her goal in the Montana match was registered in the second minute of the match, marking the earliest goal to be scored by a Bronco in a match this season. Saxton played 169 minutes in the two Montana Nike Tournament matches, in which she recorded a .714 shot on goal percentage.
Sandman, a native of Maple Valley, Wash. (Tahoma), earned her fourth shutout in seven tries in Sunday’s 1-0 route of North Dakota State at the UTEP Border Shootout in El Paso, Texas. With this shutout, Sandman ties the Idaho single-season school record for shutouts in a season. Thus far this season, Idaho is holding its opponents to a .073 shot percentage with Sandman in the goal. Her strong start has led Idaho to its second-best start ever (4-3) and best since 1999 when the Vandals started 4-2-1.
Other offensive nominees included: Kiva Gresham of Louisiana Tech registered two goals in the Lady Techsters 3-0 victory over Centenary, leading to Tech’s first win of the season, which also snapped the Lady Techsters 16-match winless streak ... Karen Zmirak of Nevada scored her team-leading third goal of the season against Iowa State in the Rebel Classic in Las Vegas ... Jessica Scott of San Jose State returned to action and scored both goals in the 2-0 shutout victory over Northern Iowa, giving the Spartans their first win of the 2007 season ... Lauren Hansen of Utah State netted her second goal of the season in Sunday’s game against Eastern Washington.
Other defensive nominees included: Patrice Godwin of Nevada played every minute of the Wolf Pack’s two matches over the weekend, anchoring the defense against Iowa State and No. 23 Washington State in the Idaho State Tournament in Pocatello ... Kristin Krale of San Jose State helped lead the Spartans in a 2-0 shutout win over Northern Iowa, their first victory of the season, and also marked her 69th-straight career start since arriving to San Jose State.
- WAC -