DENVER – Grand Canyon’s Maria Monterroso has been named Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week, while Missour-Kansas City’s Nina Tzianos has been named Defensive Player of the Week for September 15-21.
Monterroso, a sophomore forward from Guatemala City, Guatemala (Lyon College), scored her fourth and fifth goals of the season to help Grand Canyon to its first win of the season Friday over Idaho. Monterroso tied the game at 1-1 in the 78th minute and then scored the go-ahead goal for GCU in the 85th minute. She ranks second in the WAC in goals per game and is tied for third in the conference with five goals on the season.
Tzianos, a junior goal keeper from St. Louis, Mo. (Lindbergh HS) posted one of her best weeks of the season in goal for Missouri-Kansas City, shutting out then-unbeaten Creighton to lead UMKC to its first victory over the Blue Jays in program history. Creighton entered Friday’s contest averaging 3.71 goals per game as Tzianos made 8 saves and allowing no goals in the game’s shutout.
Other offensive nominees included: New Mexico State senior forward Jennae Cambra … Utah Valley junior forward Kali Stubbs… Texas-Pan American freshman midfielder Jessica Suarez.
Other defensive nominees included: Texas-Pan American freshman goal keeper Erica Gonzalez.