WAC Women’s Soccer Players of the Week Announced
DENVER – CSU Bakersfield's Jordan Martinez and Grand Canyon's Lauren Garthwaite were selected as the Western Athletic Conference Women's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for Oct. 7-14, respectively.
Martinez, a junior defender from Covina, Calif., shined against preseason favorite Kansas City as she bagged her first career hat trick. She netted her first goal of the day and second of the season in the 12th minute off an assist from Aryana Harvey. The three-goal outing brings her season point total to nine, good for third amongst the CSU Bakersfield roster. Martinez joins Sarah Bonney of UT Rio Grande Valley as the only other conference player to record a hat trick this season.
Garthwaite, a freshman goalkeeper from Riverside, Calif., picked up her second shutout of the season as GCU defeated the 'Roos of Kansas City. She nabbed six saves in Grand Canyon's lone match of the weekend as the Lopes kept one of the league's best offenses out of the goal. Garthwaite now ranks third in the conference with 61 saves on the season.
Other offensive nominees: Rola Badawiya of California Baptist scored the game-winner at home in a win over Chicago State... Grand Canyon's Dani Babb netted her first career goal in a 2-0 win over Kansas City... Leahi Manthei of Seattle U accounted for a combined six points as the Redhawks went 2-0 at home behind her two-goal, two-assist weekend... Emily Zapata of UT Rio Grande Valley picked up three points as she assisted a goal and scored one of her own in a win over Chicago State... Utah Valley's Nicole Olanda scored the game-winner as the Wolverines brought CBU's seven-game win streak to a halt.
Other defensive nominees: CSU Bakersfield's Andrea Neves snagged four saves and held KC to just one goal in a win... Seattle U's Rachel Bowler anchored the Redhawk backline as they picked up two shutout victories over conference opponents CSU Bakersfield and NM State... Kinga Szemik registered her fifth clean sheet of the season in a 2-0 win over Chicago State... Utah Valley's Allie Jara secured back-to-back shutouts as the Wolverines picked up wins over NM State and California Baptist.