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WAC Soccer Players of the Week
Offensive: Kasandra Anderson, Sr., MF, Utah Valley
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.
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.
Defensive: Anna Lillig, Fr., GK, Missouri-Kansas City
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 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.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Utah Valley wrapped up the home portion of its schedule undefeated, going 9-0-1. Only Seattle U, second place in the WAC and trailing UVU by two points, has managed to earn a point in Orem. This is just the second-ever unbeaten season at home for the Wolverines, with the previous undefeated season being a 3-0-0 mark in 2003.
The Redhawks have also been dominant at home going undefeated in conference play, with the only blemish being a loss to No. 25 Washington State in the season opener. SU has just one home match remaining, a season ending match against the Wolverines which may end up deciding the WAC regular season crown.
JOCKEYING FOR POSITION
With just three games remaining in the regular season, the conference race is coming into focus. Utah Valley and Seattle U have remained entrenched in the top two spots in the conference, respectively, for the past two weekends, but the rest of the conference has been in flux. Missouri-Kansas City, on the strength of two road wins the weekend, is now alone in third place in the standings. CSU Bakersfield and Grand Canyon were each swept by SU and UVU on the weekend, and remain tied for fourth with 10 points, with NM State just a point behind in sixth.
In the chase for the final spot in the WAC Tournament (only six teams will compete, and GCU is ineligible due to its transition to Division I), UT Rio Grande Valley picked up a huge three points with a home win over Chicago State on Sunday. CSU hosts UTRGV on Oct. 25 and will be looking to even the ledger against the Vaqueros.
NO GOALS ALLOWED
Seattle U did not allow a goal in 541 minutes and 35 seconds from Sept. 26 at Utah Valley until a goal by Grand Canyon's Milla Benedetti on Oct. 18. Before allowing GCU to score, SU had outscored their opponents 17-0 between Sept. 26 and Oct. 18, while recording seven shutouts in eight matches.
GOAL-GOAL-GOAL-GOAL
Grand Canyon's Deseree Doty and CSU Bakersfield's Haley Vicente each scored four goals in a match on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11th, respectively, tying the WAC record for goals in a conference match. Both Doty and Vicente are freshman and each came into their record-setting match having only scored one goal prior. Before their explosions, no WAC player had scored more than two goals in any match this season.
SEATTLE U RANKED SEVENTH IN WEST REGION
Seattle U remained ranked seventh in the NSCAA West Region rankings following a 3-0 win over CSU Bakersfield and a 3-2 victory over Grand Canyon. The Redhawks have been ranked in the West Region every week but one this season.
SHOOTING GALLERY
UMKC set a school record for shots in a game twice this season, most recently firing off 60 shots (with 28 on target) against Chicago State on Sept. 27 in a 6-0 win. That total is a record for a WAC match, topping Tulsa's total of 48 shots vs. Wyoming in 1996.
UMKC took 41 shots against Eastern Illinois on Sept. 18, but were only able to muster one goal, which didn't come until overtime in the 1-0 win.
SHOT STOPPERS
For the second time this season, Chicago State freshman Audra Wisehart made 17 saves, this time in the CSU loss at NM State on Oct. 16. In the Cougars loss to Indiana State on Sept. 18 she also maed 17 saves. The WAC record is 18 saves, set by Demarre Sanchez of Hawai'i against SMU in 2000.
During the match against UMKC on Sept. 27, Chicago State's goalkeepers combined to tie a WAC record for saves in conference match, making 22 saves. Wisehart and sophomore Taylor Conroy made 11 saves each while playing a half. UMKC peppered the Cougars, shooting 60 times in the match, with 28 shots on target.