DENVER - Utah Valley's Kasandra Anderson and Missouri-Kansas City's Anna Lillig have been named Western Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of Oct. 12-18.
Anderson, a senior midfielder from Nibley, Utah (Iowa Western CC), tallied two goals and an assist for five points this past weekend as she led the Wolverines to a pair of wins over Grand Canyon and CSU Bakersfield. The senior midfielder scored the first goal of the game against GCU and then assisted on the game-winning score in the victory over the Lopes. She then scored the game-winning goal in a 3-2 win over CSU Bakersfield on Sunday. With the win, UVU closed out its home slate with an unbeaten 9-0-1 record and the Wolverines remained atop the WAC standings with three games remaining.
Lillig, a freshman goalkeeper from Kansas City, Mo. (St. Pius X HS), earned two wins on the weekend to move her season record to 3-1-0, after filling in the last two weekends for injured goalkeeper Nina Tzianos. In Friday's match against UTRGV, Lillig made four saves, including three in the second half, to post her first-career clean sheet and the ‘Roos sixth shutout of the season. Lillig allowed one goal in Sunday's match against NM State, but stopped another four shots to bring her weekend total to eight, giving her an .815 save percentage on the weekend.
Other offensive nominees included: Chicago State freshman midfielder Amber Jones scored her first collegiate goal against NM State … Missouri-Kansas City sophomore forward Kara Priest assisted on the game-winning goal vs. UTRGV and scored a goal and added an assist against NM State as the ‘Roos went 2-0 on the weekend … NM State freshman forward Sabrina Ruiz scored two goals in two games for the Aggies … Seattle U senior forward Julia Moravec scored five points on the week, highlighted by a two-goal effort in the Redhawks' victory over CSU Bakersfield … UT Rio Grande Valley sophomore midfielder Marcela Ramirez had a career-high six shots and scored a goal vs. Chicago State.
Other defensive nominees included: Chicago State freshman goalkeeper Audra Wisehart made 17 saves vs. NM State, just one short of tying the WAC all-time record for saves in a match … Seattle U senior defender Kelly Beck led a backline that shutout CSU Bakersfield and added a goal in the Redhawks' victory over Grand Canyon … UT Rio Grande Valley freshman defender Tuva Nilsen was part of a defense that shutout Chicago State, allowing just one shot in the match … Utah Valley junior defender Abby Jameson led a Utah Valley defense that gave up three goals in two wins on the weekend.