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WAC WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK ANNOUNCED
Grand Canyon's Milla Benedetti and Blakely Fraasch have been named Western Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively, for the week of Aug. 29-Sept. 4.
Benedetti, a junior from Vancouver, Wash. (Mountain View HS), scored two goals in two games, helping GCU go undefeated on the weekend. Benedetti scored the game-winning goal in the 75th minute of in the Lopes' 1-0 victory over Northern Colorado on Sunday. She fired eight shots in the contest, including three on goal. She was one of five goal scorers in Friday's 5-0 victory over in-state foe Northern Arizona, tallying the third goal of the match for the Lopes. For the week, Benedetti fired off 14 shots with six finding the target.
Fraasch, a junior from Prior Lake, Minn. (Prior Lake HS), backstopped a GCU defense that posted two shutouts on the weekend. In a dominant 5-0 victory over NAU, Fraasch made two stops to thwart the NAU attack in the first half. Two days later, she made a key second half save to preserve a 1-0 victory over Northern Colorado. The wins were the first two on the year for the Lopes.
Other offensive nominees included: Chicago State freshman midfielder Mariela Alba scored her third goal of the season to equalize for the Cougars in an overtime loss to Eastern Illinois … NM State sophomore midfielder/forward Aileen Galicia scored two goals in two games, including the game-winner in overtime as the Aggies picked up their first victory of the year … Seattle U senior forward Brie Hooks scored her third goal of the season to help SU earn a draw with Portland … Utah Valley senior defender Abby Jameson scored the game-winning goal in Utah Valley's 2-1 victory over previously unbeaten UNLV.
Other defensive nominees included: Seattle U freshman goalkeeper Ashley Routh made two saves as the Redhawks tied Portland 1-1 … UTRGV sophomore defender Tuva Rolstad Nilsen anchored a defense that allowed just one shot on goal in a 0-0 tie with UIW … Utah Valley freshman goalkeeper Brooklyn Nielsen gave up just one goal and made eight saves as the Wolverines defeated previously unbeaten UNLV.
UTAH VALLEY MOVES TO EIGHTH IN THE WEST REGION, SEATTLE U NO. 10
Utah Valley moved up to the eighth spot in the NSCAA West Region rankings. Off to a 4-1 start, UVU improved upon last week's 10th place debut. Seattle U climbed back into the rankings at No. 10. It is the Redhawks second appearance, debuting in the initial top ten at No. 8 after the first week of the season, before dropping out last week.
GOOSE EGGS
UTRGV hasn't allowed a goal in three consecutive matches, a streak of 290 minutes, since allowing an overtime tally by Fairleigh Dickinson on Aug. 22. 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. If UTRGV can hold St. Thomas scoreless for the first 37:21 of action on Friday, it will set a new program record for holding opponents off the scoreboard. This is the second-longest streak in program history, as last year's squad held opponents scoreless for 327:20 minutes over the course of four games. It is also the first time that UTRGV has shutout opponents in three consecutive matches.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
With a 2-1 victory over UNLV on Sept. 1, Utah Valley extended its home unbeaten streak to 11 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 10-0-1 in matches played during the streak. UVU is out of town for both matches this upcoming weekend and will look to extend the streak on Sept. 16 against in-state rival Utah, a match that will be available on the WAC Digital Network.
SHUTOUTS IN SEATTLE
After posting 13 shutouts last season, including a WAC record eight in conference matches, the Seattle U defense picked up where it left off last year with shutout victories over Texas and Boise State in its first two matches of 2016. San Jose State finally solved the Redhawks' defense for a goal in the third match of season. SU has shutout an opponent in 13 of its last 18 matches.
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.
This week there is one match on the WDN:
Sept. 11: UMKC hosts Kansas, 7 p.m. CT
Tune in to catch both matches live at www.WACSports.com/live.
NCAA OPPONENTS
WAC teams will play in eight matches against teams that played in the NCAA Tournament last year. Both matches hosted by WAC schools will be available to stream on the WAC Digital Network at www.WACSports.com/watch.
Aug. 22 Fairleigh Dickinson def. UTRGV, 3-2 (OT) (WDN)
Aug. 22 No. 2 Arizona def. Utah Valley, 5-1
Aug. 28 San Jose State def. Seattle U (Boise, Idaho), 1-0
Aug. 28 No. 25 Loyola Marymount def. CSU Bakersfield, 4-1
Sept. 4 Oakland def. Chicago State, 5-0
Sept. 5 Washington def. Seattle U, 1-0 (WDN)
Sept. 15 Seattle U at Washington State, 5 p.m. PT
Sept. 16 UMKC at South Dakota State, 6 p.m. CT
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).