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WAC Soccer Players of the Week
Offensive: Lexie Howard, Fr., F, Missouri-Kansas City
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.
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.
Defensive: Brianna Smallidge, Sr., GK, Seattle U
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.
WAC TOURNAMENT
The WAC Women's Soccer Tournament begins on Thursday from Bakersfield, Calif. No. 3 Missouri-Kansas City faces No. 6 UT Rio Grande Valley in the first match at 4 p.m. PT. No. 4 NM State will face host No. 5 CSU Bakersfield at 7 p.m. PT.
No. 1 Seattle U and No. 2 Utah Valley will each recieve byes into the semifinals. On Friday, UVU will play the winner of the UMKC-UTRGV match at 4 p.m. PT. SU will face the winner of the NM State-CSUB match at 7 p.m. PT.
The championship match will be at 1 p.m. PT on Sunday, with the winner claiming the WAC Tournament title and receiving an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
SHUTOUTS IN SEATTLE
Seattle U earned a shutout over Utah Valley in the final match of the season bringing its season total to 12. SU has recorded eight shutouts in its last nine matches, all in WAC play, and outscored opponents 26-2 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 the shutout, the Redhawks tied the WAC record for shutouts during conference play with seven (Fresno State, 2006). Seattle U goalkeeper Brianna Smallidge has seven individual WAC shutouts this season, which is the most in conference history.
MOST WINS
Seattle U's eight wins on the year ties for the most wins in a WAC season. UMKC and Seattle U each recorded this feat in 2014, joining 2001 SMU.
SU's Smallidge earned her eighth WAC win on the season vs. Utah Valley, the most wins by a goalie in league play in WAC history.
SEATTLE U RANKED EIGHTH IN WEST REGION
Seattle U remained eighth in the NSCAA West Region rankings despite its third-straight shutout win. The Redhawks have been ranked in the West Region every week but one this season.