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WAC Soccer Players of the Week
Offensive: Julia Moravec, Sr., F, Seattle U
Moravec, a senior forward from Spokane, Wash. (Lewis and Clark), scored both game-winners in a pair of shutout wins for the Redhawks. Moravec scored the game-winner then assisted on the remaining three goals in a 4-0 win at Grand Canyon, matching her career-high with five points (last: Oct. 2 at Chicago State). Her efforts on the weekend helped SU leapfrog Utah Valley and take a two-point lead in the race for the WAC regular season title. The Redhawks will host UVU on Saturday in the final match of the season.
Other offensive nominees included: Missouri-Kansas City freshman forward Lexi Howard was involved in all four of UMKC's goals in the victory against NM State, scoring twice and adding two assists during a six-point match … UT Rio Grande Valley sophomore forward Andreya Barrera scored the game-winning goal for the Vaqueros against Chicago State, clinching a WAC Tournament berth for her squad … Utah Valley freshman forward Breanna McCarter scored two goals on the road Sunday to lead Utah Valley to a 3-2 win over CSU Bakersfield.
Defensive: Kelly Beck, Sr., D, Seattle U
Beck, a senior defender from Tacoma, Wash. (Bellarmine Prep), led the Seattle U backline to its 10th and 11th shutouts of the season, as the Redhawks traveled to defeat CSU Bakersfield 2-0 and Grand Canyon 4-0. Seattle U allowed just six shots on goal in the two victories and SU has now shutout seven of its last eight opponents. The Redhawks have outscored opponents 25-2 in the month of October and have ridden a six-match WAC winning streak to first place in the conference with just one game remaining. This is Beck's third WAC Defensive Player of the Week honor this season
Other defensive nominees included: Chicago State sophomore goalkeeper Taylor Conroy made 22 saves and gave up just four goals in two matches … Missouri-Kansas City freshman goalkeeper Anna Lillig earned two shutout wins, including a seven-save effort in the ‘Roos' victory over NM State … UT Rio Grande Valley sophomore goalkeeper Erica Gonzalez shutout Chicago State, earning a win that clinched the Vaqueros a berth in the WAC Tournament … Utah Valley senior goalkeeper Jessica Duffin helped UVU to a 1-1 road record last week, collecting four saves in a 1-0 loss at Grand Canyon and three saves in a 3-2 victory at CSU Bakersfield.
THE LAST MATCHES
The final matches of the WAC regular season will take place on Saturday, with plenty left to be decided. The match of the day will be Seattle U hosting Utah Valley at 7 p.m. PT, with the WAC Regular Season Championship on the line. The Redhawks will claim the title with a win or a draw, while the Wolverines, who led the conference for a majority of the season, can regain the top spot with a win. Both teams have already earned byes in the 2015 WAC Soccer Tournament on the basis of earning the top two seeds. The two tied 1-1 on Sept. 26 in Orem.
The battle for the middle of the pack in the WAC will be decided over the course of two matches on Saturday. Grand Canyon will claim fourth place in the conference with a win or tie vs. CSU Bakersfield. The ‘Runners could pull level with GCU on points with a victory, and even into a three way tie with GCU and NM State, with the win and an Aggie tie with UT Rio Grande Valley.
The Aggies would claim the fourth seed with a victory over UTRGV and a GCU loss. The Vaqueros are slotted to finish in seventh place in the conference.
Missouri-Kansas City, settled in at third place, will travel to Chicago State to close out the regular season.
WAC TOURNAMENT BRACKET EMERGING
UTRGV claimed the sixth and final spot in the WAC Tournament with a victory over Chicago State on Oct. 25, as the Cougars were eliminated from contention and GCU is ineligible for postseason competition while transitioning to Division I.
While all the seeds in the tournament are not set, the first round matchups have been decided:
-UMKC is the No. 3 seed and will face No. 6 UTRGV at 4 p.m. PT on Nov. 5.
-CSU Bakersfield and NM State will face off in the 7 p.m. match on Nov. 5, with the No. 4 and No. 5 designations to be determined this weekend.
SHUTOUTS IN SEATTLE
Seattle U earned shutouts in two matches last weekend bringing its season total to 11. SU has recorded seven shutouts in its last eight matches, all in WAC play, and have outscored opponents 25-2 in the month of October. Earlier this season, the Redhawks did not allow a goal in 541 minutes and 35 seconds, from Sept. 26 at Utah Valley until a goal by Grand Canyon in the 45th minute on Oct. 18.
With one match remaining, the Redhawks have tied the WAC record for shutouts during conference play with seven (Fresno State, 2006). Seattle U goalkeeper Brianna Smallidge has six individual WAC shutouts this season, which is also tied for the most in conference history (Angie Larsen, Fresno State, 2006; Lauren Shockley, Rice, 2004).
BATTLE FOR THE MOST WINS
If there is a winner of the Seattle U-Utah Valley match on Saturday, the team that prevails will tie for the most wins in a WAC season with eight. UMKC and Seattle U each recorded this feat in 2014, joining 2001 SMU.
SU's Smallidge and UVU goalkeeper Jessica Duffin have both equaled the record for most wins in WAC play with seven, tied with SMU's Amanda Clark (2003). If one of them earns the win on Saturday they will sit alone atop the record book.
SEATTLE U RANKED SEVENTH IN WEST REGION
Seattle U fell to eighth in the NSCAA West Region rankings despite two shutout road wins. The Redhawks have been ranked in the West Region every week but one this season.