DENVER – New Mexico State’s Crystal Burns and Nevada’s Marie Cove have been named Verizon Western Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of Sept. 13-19.
Burns, a sophomore forward/midfielder from Overland Park, Kan. (Shattuck St. Mary’s), scored four goals and added three assists as New Mexico State went 2-0 in two home matches last week. Against Alabama A&M, she scored two goals and added an assist. It was her first-ever multiple-goal contest at NM State. In a 4-0 win over Lamar, Burns tallied two goals and two assists, including her second game-winning goal of the season. She posted an impressive .833 shots on goal percentage in the final two non-conference matches of the season and currently leads the team with six assists and 16 points.
Cove, a senior goalkeeper from Garden Grove, Calif. (Pacifica HS), posted her second and third shutouts of the season last week against Idaho State and Eastern Michigan. She tallied eight saves against Idaho State and four save against Eastern Michigan to lower her season goals-against-average to 0.52.
Other offensive nominees included: Idaho freshman midfielder Christina Boddie … Louisiana Tech senior forward Kiva Gresham … Nevada junior midfielder/forward Natalie Ratnavira … San Jose State sophomore forward Kelsey Lord.
Other defensive nominees included: Idaho junior goalkeeper Liz Boyden … New Mexico State sophomore defender Courtney Irwin … Utah State sophomore goalkeeper Ashlyn Mulford.