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WAC WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK ANNOUNCED
CSU Bakersfield's Sabrina Delgado and Utah Valley's Brooklyn Nielsen have been named Western Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of Sept. 12-18.
Delgado, a sophomore from Hacienda Heights, Calif. (Los Altos HS), played a part in every goal as the ‘Runners knocked off Idaho, 3-2, on Sunday. Delgado scored a pair of goals in the first half put CSUB ahead 2-0 at halftime. The Vandals climbed into the match, tying it at two goals apiece, but Delgado's perfectly-placed free kick set up Alexa Orrante for the game-winning goal in the 86th minute. Delgado's two goals tied her career-high and moved her into a tie for first in the WAC with five goals on the season. Her assist gave Delgado five points in the match, a new career best for the sophomore, who played all 90 minutes in the win. Delgado now has eight goals in her career, tied for sixth-most in CSUB Division I history.
Nielsen, a freshman from Sandy, Utah (Jordan HS), helped the Wolverines to a 1-0-1 record in goal last week. The first-year keeper helped UVU pick up its first-ever shutout against in-state rival Utah on Friday night at Clyde Field, helping the Wolverines extend their unbeaten home streak to 13 matches. In the 0-0 tie against the Utes, Nielsen tallied five saves on seven Utah shots. The double-overtime clean sheet is her second shutout of the season. Nielsen made a key save with under a minute to play in the final overtime that helped UVU secure the tie. She also helped UVU to a 5-1 win at Idaho State on Sunday afternoon, making four saves in the win. Overall on the week, Nielsen went 1-0-1 in the box with nine saves, a .900 save percentage, and a 0.45 goals against average.
Other offensive nominees included: Chicago State freshman midfielder Taylor Rankin tallied her second goal of the season against UIC on Sunday … UMKC sophomore midfielder Reighan Childers scored in both matches for the ‘Roos on the weekend … Seattle U junior midfielder Jennifer Plummer scored her first goal of the season on Sunday, leading Seattle University to a 1-0 shutout of Gonzaga … Utah Valley freshman midfielder Breanna DeWaal scored a goal and added two assists in the Wolverines' 5-1 win over Idaho State on Sunday.
Other defensive nominees included: NM State sophomore goalkeeper Ashley Martin made 25 saves in two matches on the week … Seattle U senior defender Stephanie Spiekerman anchored the Redhawks' back line in both matches last week, helping the squad to a 1-0 shutout of Gonzaga on Sunday, SU's third shutout of the season.
UTAH VALLEY UP TO NO. 8 IN NSCAA WEST REGION
Utah Valley moved up to No. 8 in the NSCAA West Region rankings, after slotting in at ninth last week. The Wolverines tied Utah 0-0 and defeated Idaho State 5-1 on the weekend. UVU is off this weekend, and the Wolverines return to action in a non-conference match against Grand Canyon on Sept. 26.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
With a 0-0 tie vs. in-state rival Utah on Sept. 16, Utah Valley extended its home unbeaten streak to 13 matches. UVU hasn't been defeated at Clyde Field since Nov. 1, 2014, falling 2-0 to Seattle U in the final regular season match of the season. The Wolverines are 11-0-2 in matches played during the streak. The Wolverines will put the streak on the line again in a non-conference match against Grand Canyon on Sept. 26.
FRESH CLEAN SHEETS
Seattle U's Ashley Routh, UTRGV's Kinga Szemik and Utah Valley's Brooklyn Nielsen, all freshman, are tied atop the WAC with three shutouts a piece. Szemik earned shutouts in her first three career matches, before finally allowing a single goal in her fourth match vs. UTEP. Routh and Nielsen have each picked up shutouts in three of eight matches this year.
UTRGV'S SHUTOUT STREAK ENDS
UTRGV saw its five-match unbeaten streak and program record shutout streak come to an end at 512:52 in a 1-0 loss at UTEP. The streak began after a an overtime tally by Fairleigh Dickinson on Aug. 22 and lasted until Sept. 18. UTRGV began the streak with shutout wins over Lamar and Prairie View A&M, then tied Incarnate Word 0-0 in 110 minutes of action, before defeating St. Thomas and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. UTRGV beat its previous program record shutout streak by 185:32 (327:20 from Sept. 9 through Sept. 16, 2015).
SHOT STOPPER
NM State sophomore goalkeeper Ashley Martin is third in the nation in saves made with 65 on the season. Martin made 25 saves in the Aggies' two matches last week, including a WAC-high 15 against rival New Mexico on Friday, just three shy of tying a WAC record.
GETTING TRICKY
NM State's Aileen Galicia became the first player in the WAC to record a hat trick this season on Sept. 11 against Idaho State. It only took the sophomore 51 minutes to tally her three goals. Her five goals this season tie her total for 2015 with 11 matches remaining in the regular-season. Her six points in the match is the most for NM State since 2014, when Jennae Cambra rattled off two goals and two assists at Chicago State. Her hat trick was also just the second one ever in program history. Yolanda McMillion was the only other player to record a hat trick, knocking in three of her own back on Aug. 29, 2010 against Prairie View A&M in an 8-0 win.
NOT SO SUDDEN DEATH
UMKC's 1-1 draw against Creighton on Aug. 21 marks the 17th-straight game that went to overtime for the 'Roos that they have either won or tied. The last time UMKC lost in overtime was a 2-1 loss at Missouri State on Sept. 16, 2011.
COMING TO YOU LIVE
The WAC Digital Network will broadcast 27 regular season matches and all five matches of the 2016 WAC Women's Soccer Tournament in Kansas City, Mo.
The next match on the WDN will be Seattle U hosting Utah Valley on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. PT.
Tune in to catch the matches live at www.WACSports.com/live.
2016 WAC TOURNAMENT
The WAC Women's Soccer Tournament will be held in Kansas City, Mo., Nov. 3-4 and 6, hosted by UMKC. The top six eligible teams will participate (Grand Canyon is ineligible due to its transition from Division II to Division I).