WAC TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
Bakersfield Roadrunners (0-4-0, 0-0-0 WAC)
Bakersfield went 0-2-0 last week ... the ‘Runners dropped a pair of road games, falling 2-1 at Sacramento State before dropping a 5-0 decision at Southern Utah ... Hedda Regefalk scored the lone goal of the week for Bakersfield, scoring in the 50th minute of Friday’s match at Sacramento State ... Regefalk took a pass from Maja Green and scored with a shot that went to the left of the Sacramento State keeper ... Tori Ornela made six saves in goal for the ‘Runners against the Hornets ... Ornela also collected six saves in the loss to SUU ... Regefalk led Bakersfield with five shots over the two games, including two on goal ... this week, Bakersfield hosts Northern Iowa on Friday before traveling to play Long Beach State on Sunday.
Chicago State (1-3-0, 0-0-0 WAC)
Chicago State went 0-2-0 last week with a pair of losses at home ... the Cougars dropped a 0-3 decision to North Dakota before falling 6-0 to Cleveland State ... the Cougars did have five different players record a shot on goal over the two matches ... Hannah Etcitty led the team with four shots on the week, including two on goal ... Lexi Montgomery recorded three shots with one on goal ... Carrie Hepp registered 19 saves in goal over the two matches ... this week Chicago State continues play at home against Wisconsin-Green Bay on Friday ... the team then welcomes Bowling Green on Sunday.
Grand Canyon (0-2-1, 0-0-0 WAC)
The Lopes played to a 1-1 tie with Valparaiso in their home opener Friday at GCU Soccer Field. GCU’s goal came on a Maria Monterroso penalty kick in the 73rd minute—Monterroso is a perfect 3-for-3 on penalty kicks this season ... freshman keeper Blakely Fraasch made nine saves in her third career start ... the Lopes had six freshmen contribute by tallying one shot in the match ... Monterroso led the offensive attack, firing four shots in the contest, with two of those being on goal ... Monterroso ranks second in the conference in goals (3), points (6), points/game (2), and goals/game (1) ... Grand Canyon will be back in action Friday when they host South Dakota.
Missouri-Kansas City Kangaroos (1-2-1, 0-0-0 WAC)
Missouri-Kansas City went 0-1-1 last week on the road at the Tulsa Invitational ... the ‘Roos played Oral Roberts to a 1-1 tie in double overtime before dropping a 2-0 decision at Tulsa ... in the match against Oral Roberts, keeper Nina Tzianos fought off a flurry of Oral Roberts attempts to salvage a 1-1 tie ... freshman forward Kara Priest struck early for the ‘Roos, polishing off the game’s opening goal in the ninth minute off of a cross from Ellie Chadick ... the goal was Priest’s second in three games this season ... versus Tulsa, Tzianos made seven saves, including five in the first half to keep the Golden Hurricane at bay ... Tzianos, along with defenders Sarah Todd and Erika Teson, were named to the Tulsa Invitational All-Tournament team.
New Mexico State (1-4-0, 0-0-0 WAC)
New Mexico State earned its first win of the season last week, defeating Incarnate Word 2-1 at home ... the Aggies also took a 5-0 loss at UTEP and dropped a 3-0 decision at home to Houston Baptist ... Jennae Cambra scored both of NM State’s goals in the 2-1 victory over Incarnate Word ... she is the only player on the team this year to score a goal for the Aggies as she has all four of the Aggies goals this season ... last week, Cambra recorded 14 shots, eight of which were on goal over the three matches ... She tallied two goals for four points ... Tayler Hammack recorded 11 saves in goal over thre three matches ... this week, New Mexico State travels to play Creighton on Friday before playing at Omaha on Sunday.
Seattle U (2-2-0, 0-0-0 WAC)
Seattle U split a pair of matches at the OHANA Hotels and Resorts No Ka Oi last week in Honolulu ... the Redhawks opened play with a 4-1 win over Northern Illinois ... Seattle U then dropped a 2-1 overtime decision to host Hawai‘i in the team’s final game on the island ... Stephanie Verdoia extended her goal streak to four games as she scored three goals over the two matches ... she led the Redhawks with seven shots, including six on goal in Hawaii ... Kelly Beck played well defensively for SU, anchoring a defense that allowed only one goal against Northern Illinois ... Beck earned WAC Defensive Player of the Week honors ... Brianna Smallidge registered six saves on the week ... Smallidge, Verdoia, Isabella Guerry, and Isabelle Butterfield were named to the OHANA Hotels and Resorts No Ka Oi All-Tournament Team ... this week, SU hosts Eastern Washington on Friday.
Texas-Pan American (3-0-2, 0-0-0 WAC)
Texas-Pan American went 2-0-0 last week ... the Broncs defeated Huston-Tillotson 2-1 at home before shutting out Grambling State 4-0 on the road ... in the win over Huston-Tillotson, the Broncs won their first-ever home match ... a trio of freshmen, Andreya Barrera, Allyson Smith and Aimie Inthoulay combined on both Broncs goals ... the Broncs picked up the biggest win in program history, beating Grambling State 4-0 ... the Broncs are just the fifth NCAA Division I women’s soccer team out of 22 in the history of Texas to be undefeated through four matches, joining Baylor (4-0-0 in 1996), Incarnate Word (3-0-0 in 2013), Houston Baptist (3-0-0 in 2008) and Abilene Christian (3-0-1 in 2013) ... UTPA travels to play Prairie View A&M on Friday.
Utah Valley Wolverines (1-2-1, 0-0-0 WAC)
Utah Valley opened its 2014 home schedule with a 2-1 win over Big 12 Baylor in front of a school record 1,355 fans last Friday night at Clyde Field ... the win was the opening game of a seven match homestand ... Kasandra Anderson and Kim Stratford both scored goals for UVU, with Stratford getting the game-winner in the 84th minute of the game ... UVU also faced Boise State on Sunday, finishing in a 1-1 draw with the Broncos ... the Wolverines continue the homestand with a game against Wyoming on Friday, Sept. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
WAC NOTES
WAC SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Co-Offensive: Aimie Inthoulay, Fr., MF, Texas-Pan American
Inthoulay, a freshman midfielder from Burien, Wash. (Highline HS) became the first Bronc in history to score two goals in a single match, helping UTPA to a 4-0 win over Grambling State. She also became the first Bronc to record multiple assists in a game, setting up both goals to lead the Broncs to their first home win in program history. Inthoulay recorded two goals, two assists and six points on the week.
Other offensive nominees included: Grand Canyon sophomore forward Maria Monterroso … Seattle U senior forward Stephanie Verdoia … Utah Valley senior midfielder Kim Stratford.
Co-Offensive: Jennae Cambra, Sr., F, New Mexico State
Cambra, a senior forward from Morgan Hill, Calif. (Sobrato HS), scored two goals, including the game winner to lead New Mexico State to a 2-1 win over Incarnate Word. The win marked the Aggies first win of the season. Cambra has scored all four of NM State’s goals this season. She also recorded 11 shots on the week, including five in a loss to Houston Baptist and six in the win over Incarnate Word.
Other offensive nominees included: Grand Canyon sophomore forward Maria Monterroso … Seattle U senior forward Stephanie Verdoia … Utah Valley senior midfielder Kim Stratford.
Defensive: Kelly Beck, Jr., D, Seattle U
Beck, a junior defender from Rancho Tacoma, Wash. (Bellarmine Prep), anchored a defense that allowed just one goal in a 4-1 victory over Northern Illinois at the OHANA Hotels and Resorts No Ka Oi in Honolulu. Beck was the lone Seattle U player to play all 90 minutes in the win. She also helped offensively as she assisted a goal on a corner kick.
Other defensive nominees included: Grand Canyon freshman midfielder Brylee Hawkins … Texas-Pan American freshman goalkeeper Erica Gonzalez ... Utah Valley sophomore defender Kalli Suesue.
RETURNING ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS
The WAC returns nine all-conference players from the 2013 season. Seattle U returns four all-conference players from last season. The Redhawks return all-WAC first team honoree and 2014 WAC Offensive Player of the Year Stephanie Verdoia (Sr., F). Verdoia led the WAC in nearly ever offensive statistical category last season. She is the lone returning player from last year’s all-WAC first team. SU also returns 2014 all-WAC second team honorees Taylor Titzman (Sr., F), Natasha Howe (So., MF) and Brianna Smallidge (Jr., GK). Bakersfield and Missouri-Kansas City each return two players that received all-WAC second team honors last year. CSUB returns 2014 WAC Freshman of the Year and all-WAC second team honoree Hedda Regefalk (So., F). The ‘Runners also welcome 2014 all-WAC second team honoree Sarah Cook, (Sr., D). UMKC has a pair of second-team honorees returning from last season in Alyssa Elver (Sr., MF) and Kaely Tott (Sr., D). New Mexico State returns 2014 all-WAC second team honoree Jennae Cambra (Sr., F).
NCAA TOURNAMENT OPPONENTS
WAC teams will play in three matches against teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last year. Two of the matches will be played at WAC home sites. Seattle U will play two home games, while Utah Valley will play a road game against Utah, which competed in the NCAA Tournament in 2013.
Aug. 24 Kentucky at Seattle U
Sept. 21 Utah Valley at Utah
Sept. 25 Portland at Seattle U
WAC WOMEN’S SOCCER WELCOMES CHICAGO STATE AND TEXAS-PAN AMERICAN TO THE LEAGUE
Chicago State and Texas-Pan American take to the pitch this season for the first time in school history. CSU head coach Tony Tommasi will lead the Cougars in their inagural season. Chicago State’s team is comprised of 24 freshmen. Texas-Pan American head coach Glad Bugariu will be the first Broncs women’s soccer coach in school history. Bugariu will have19 freshmen and seven players with college experience.