DENVER - UT Rio Grande Valley's Sarah Bonney and Evelyn Powell have been named Western Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of Sept. 19-25.
Bonney, a freshman from Winneba, Ghana (U20 Ghana National Team), exploded for seven goals in two games on the weekend. Against Hampton on Friday, Bonney scored five goals and added two assists, the first 12 points of her career, in the Vaqueros' 11-0 victory. The 12 points are an all-time WAC record and the five goals tied a WAC record, and her point total tied her for 13th in NCAA history. She recorded the first hat trick (three goals), the first haul (four goals) and the first glut (five goals) in UTRGV history. Bonney continued to pour in the goals on Sunday, scoring a brace in UTRGV's 3-1 victory over South Carolina State, opening and closing the scoring in the match. Bonney's weekend vaults her into first in the WAC in goals and points.
Powell, a senior from Abingdon, MD (Harford Community College), anchored a defense that allowed just one goal and six total shots in two matches on the weekend. In the Vaqueros' 11-0 victory over Hampton, Powell keyed a defense that allowed just one shot in the entire match. Against South Carolina State, the UTRGV defense allowed just five shots in the 3-1 win. Powell also chipped in two assists in the win over Hampton. Powell missed the first two matches of season due to illness and in the eight matches since she has returned UTRGV has allowed just two goals.
Other offensive nominees included: CSUB freshman midfielder Sophie Freeman tied a program record for single-game assists with three vs. UC Riverside on Sunday … Grand Canyon sophomore forward McKenzie Cook scored two goals in the Lopes' 2-1 non-conference victory over CSUB … UMKC sophomore forward Kelsey Mothershead recorded a hat trick in a 4-0 victory over Oral Roberts on Sunday … Seattle U senior forward Brie Hooks scored in overtime, her third game-winning goal of the season, in SU's victory over UC Riverside on Thursday.
Other defensive nominees included: GCU junior goalkeeper Blakely Fraasch allowed just one goal in GCU's win over CSUB … UMKC senior defender Niekie Pellens had an assist against Drake and was part of a defense that allowed no shots in a 4-0 victory over Oral Roberts … Seattle U freshman goalkeeper Ashley Routh earned a shutout in a 1-0 overtime victory over UC Riverside.
- WAC -