DENVER - Missouri-Kansas City's Lexie Howard and Seattle U's Brianna Smallidge have been named Western Athletic Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of Oct. 26-Nov. 1.
Howard, a freshman from Kearney, Neb. (Kearney HS), scored two goals and added an assist in just 45 minutes of action against Chicago State on Oct. 31. Howard recorded an assist on a 20th minute goal from Kelsey Mothershead and then added goals in the 26th and 30th minutes. The two goals brought her season total to 11, the most by a freshman in UMKC program history, and her 26 points on the season are the second most in program history.
Smallidge, a senior from Port Orchard, Wash. (South Kitsap), made five saves in a shutout victory over Utah Valley on Oct. 31, as the Redhawks claimed the WAC regular season title. The shutout was the 11th of the season individually for Smallidge and her seventh in WAC play, a new conference record. With the win, her eighth of the season, she also now tops the record book with the most wins during WAC play in a season. Smallidge was the anchor for a team that outscored opponents 26-2 in the month of October and earned a shutout in eight of the last nine matches on the year.
Other offensive nominees included: NM State sophomore forward Devin Hart scored in the Aggies 2-1 loss to UTRGV … Seattle U freshman forward Karli White scored her sixth game-winning goal of the season as the Redhawks clinched the WAC regular season title with a 1-0 victory over Utah Valley … UT Rio Grande Valley freshman midfielder Kelzy Jepsen scored her first career game-winning goal in the Vaqueros 2-1 victory over NM State.
Other defensive nominees included: CSU Bakersfield goalkeeper Tori Ornela made seven saves in a two-overtime shutout against Grand Canyon … UT Rio Grande Valley sophomore goalkeeper Erica Gonzalez made seven saves and allowed just one goal as the Vaqueros defeated NM State 2-1.