This Week in WAC Women's Soccer - Spring 2021 Final
This Week in WAC Women's Soccer - Spring 2021 Final
SIX EARN USC ALL-PACIFIC REGION HONORS
Six WAC women's soccer players have been named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Pacific Region team for the 2021 spring season. Seattle U and Utah Valley garnered two honorees each while Grand Canyon and California Baptist each earned one honor.
Both Utah Valley's Jenna Shepherd and Seattle U's Sydney Carr earned first-team honors. Shepherd scored five times for the WAC-champion Wolverines, helping UVU earn its first-ever NCAA win. Carr led the league in goals scored with 16 in 17 matches played.
Second team honorees included Utah Valley's Isabel Jones-Dawe, Seattle U's Michele Adam, Grand Canyon's Marleen Schimmer and California Baptist's Rola Badawiya.
The All-America teams are expected to be announced on Thursday, May 13.
UTAH VALLEY TOPPLES MEMPHIS IN FIRST ROUND OF NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Utah Valley women's soccer team earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory following a 1-0 win over Memphis in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament. A Sadie Brockbank goal in the 60th minute lifted the Wolverines to the win over the Tigers.
The Wolverines forced the Memphis goalie, Elizabeth Moberg, to work early as Heather Stainbrook landed a shot on goal in the opening minute of the match. The Memphis offense also earned an early chance as Isabel Jones-Dawe collected her first save in the 10th minute.
The highlight of the first half came in 23rd minute as Utah Valley earned a penalty kick by way of a Memphis handball in the penalty area. However, Moberg proved to be up to the task as she stuffed Stainbrook's attempt. Despite zero goals in the first half, there were plenty of opportunities for both sides as Memphis out-shot the Wolverines 8-6.
The Wolverines eventually broke through in the second half as Amber Tripp found Brockbank for the go-ahead goal in the 60th minute. Brockbank was able to tap the Tripp pass over Moberg for one of the most important goals in program history.
Although the Tigers more than doubled the number of Utah Valley shots in the match (15-7), the Wolverines back line proved tough as they only allowed five shots on goal, all of which came in the first half.
UVU FALLS TO NO. 6 ARKANSAS IN SECOND ROUND OF NCAA TOURNAMENT
The historic season for Utah Valley women's soccer team came to a close with a 1-3 loss to No. 6 Arkansas in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
The first half of play was almost entirely a defensive battle until the Razorbacks broke through with a goal in the 41st minute. UVU had a pair of opportunities in the first half as both Amber Tripp and Sadie Brockbank let shots fly. The Wolverines finished the half with just a one goal deficit thanks to a huge save from Isabel Jones-Dawe in the 37th minute.
Arkansas shifted into another gear to come out of the break as it stretched its lead to three goals, scoring in the 48th and 50th minute. The Wolverines drew one score closer in the 73rd minute as Brockbank notched her seventh goal of the season.
The match concluded with the Razorbacks taking 13 shots with seven ending on goal while the Wolverines got off 11 shots and put five on goal. Additionally, UVU earned three corner kicks and Arkansas managed just one. For the Wolverines, Brockbank led the way with the lone UVU goal while Tripp, Heather Stainbrook and Jenna Shepherd each finished with a shot on frame.
UTAH VALLEY TAKES HOME WAC TOURNAMENT TITLE
The Utah Valley Wolverines are the 2021 WAC Tournament Champions. The Wolverines took down NM State and Seattle U on the way to their third WAC Tournament title. It took penalty kicks to earn the victory over fifth-seeded NM State. In the shootout, Utah Valley outscored the Aggies 4-3 to move on to the championship match against Seattle U.
In what would be a rematch of the championship game from 2019, the Wolverines earned a penalty kick in the 76th minute that gave Utah Valley a 1-0 lead that they would never relinquish.
The Wolverines were led by WAC Tournament MVP Cassidy McCormick who knocked in the game-winner against Seattle U. McCormick was joined by fellow Wolverines Isabel Jones-Dawe, Anna Pickering and Heather Stainbrook on the All-Tournament Team. Also earning All-Tournament honors was Seattle U's Michele Adam, Ava Benedetti and Hallie Bergford, Grand Canyon's Jaycee Iranshad and Raeanne Jones and NM State's Corey Kizer and Hannah Leitner.
ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS ANNOUNCED
Seattle U boasted the Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year, while Utah Valley and Grand Canyon also won specialty awards to highlight the 2020-21 WAC Women's Soccer all-conference teams. Sydney Carr of Seattle U was named Offensive Player of the Year, and teammate Hallie Bergford was tabbed as Freshman of the Year for the Redhawks. UVU defender Jenna Shepherd was chosen as Defensive Player of the Year, while Grand Canyon coach Chris Cissell, in his first season with the Lopes, was voted as conference Coach of the Year. For the entire all-conference team, please see page 4 of this week's release.
Six players who had been on the preseason all-conference squad were ultimately chosen to the end-of-season all-WAC first-team. Emily Zapata (UT Rio Grande Valley), Marleen Schimmer (Grand Canyon), Amber Tripp (Utah Valley), Michele Adam (Seattle U), Erin Gallagher (California Baptist), and Jenna Shepherd (Utah Valley) appeared on both all-conference teams, as had been chosen by conference coaches.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
The Seattle U offense finished at the top of a pair of categories. The Redhawks finished with a total of 121 points in 19 matches while also leading in goals (41). Grand Canyon led the way with the most assists at 43. Utah Valley ranked third in points (116) and second in goals (40), while listing fourth in assists (36). The Wolverines were also tops in shots (336)... California Baptist allowed just 15 goals to claim the top mark in the WAC while UVU led in goals-against average at 0.83 as they totaled a league-high 11 shutouts. Chicago State led the WAC, and ranked among the national leaders, with 131 total saves and an average of 8.12 stops per game.
Seattle U's Sydney Carr, the WAC Offensive Player of the Year, finished the year with 16 goals and 38 points, claiming conference-leading honors in both categories. Dixie State's Whitley Griffiths finished second in the loop with 10 goals and 21 points. Leahi Manthei and Carr of Seattle U were one-two in assists, with seven and six helpers, respectively... California Baptist's Romy Salvador led the WAC with a 0.85 goals-against average and ranked fourth with a .779 save percentage. UT Rio Grande Valley's Maile Lunardi was third with a 0.99 GAA and led the way with a .827 save percentage. Lunardi also lead the WAC with three regular-season shutouts.
NON-CONFERENCE REVIEW
WAC members finished 7-15-4 in non-conference matches, securing two wins each against Conference USA, the Southland Conference, and non-Division I foes. The other non-league win came versus the West Coast Conference.
PRESEASON REVIEW: SEATTLE U WAS PICKED TO WIN 2020-21 TITLE
Seattle U was the preseason favorite to win the 2020-21 Western Athletic Conference women's soccer title in a vote of the league's eight head coaches, who could not vote for their own team.
The Redhawks had received five of eight first-place votes for 46 total points to earn the preseason nod by just two points over Utah Valley, who collected the remaining three first-place votes and 44 points. Those two schools ultimately finished tied for the most points in the final regular-season standings (32) with identical 10-2-2 records.
WELCOME (AND WELCOME BACK) TO THE WAC
Dixie State head coach Molly Rouse led the Trailblazers into their Division I era after serving two seasons at an assistant at Minnesota. Also donning a new color, but not new to the WAC, is Grand Canyon head coach Chris Cissell, who came to GCU after nine seasons at Kansas City, where he claimed 102 victories, three WAC regular-season titles and two WAC Coach of the Year honors.
COMING SOON
As Tarleton continues its growth to NCAA Division I, the athletics department will be adding women's soccer with the expectation to begin play in the fall of 2022. The nationwide search for a head coach is ongoing and the finalist will be named this spring, allowing for a full year of recruitment before beginning the inaugural soccer season.
IT'S BIGGER IN TEXAS (AND UTAH)
On Jan. 14, the WAC announced the addition of five new schools in the near future. Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston, Stephen F. Austin were all offered and accepted membership invitations and will join the WAC on July 1, 2021. Southern Utah also received and accepted a membership invitation, and will join the league on July 1, 2022. With the additions, the WAC will have six schools in Texas, more than any other conference in the country, and three schools in Utah, also a national best.