Pac-12 announces women's soccer players of the week

SAN FRANCISCO - The Pac-12 Conference announced today the Women’s Soccer Players of the Week for the week of Oct. 20-26. UCLA’s Sam Mewis was voted Offensive Player of the Week for the second-consecutive week, while USC’s Whitney Pitalo was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week and WASHINGTON’s Megan Kufeld was named Goalkeeper of the Week. 

Sam Mewis (Hanson, Mass.) tallied three goals and two assists in the Bruins’ wins at Oregon State and Oregon. In the 3-0 win over the Beavers, the senior scored the second goal of the game and took five shots, including three on goal. In the 5-0 victory against the Ducks, Mewis had a hand in four of UCLA’s goals, assisting on the first two and scoring the last two. The midfielder has had a goal or assist in seven-consecutive games, and in 14 of UCLA’s 17 games this year. She leads the Pac-12 with 13 goals, 35 points and six game-winning goals. 

Whitney Pitalo (Salem, Ore.) was a mainstay on both sides of the ball for the Trojans in two overtime victories over Oregon and Oregon State. In the 1-0 double overtime victory against Oregon, Pitalo and the USC defense shutout the Ducks, holding UO to eight shots on goal through 100-plus minutes of play. Later that week against Oregon State, the junior scored the first of two goals for USC to tie up the game. The Trojans eventually won in overtime, 2-1. It was Pitalo’s first goal since her freshman season. She sat out 2013 because of injury. 

Megan Kufeld (Fremont, Calif.) recorded three shutouts and led Washington to a 2-0-1 record on the week, including wins over Oregon State and Utah, and a scoreless draw at Colorado. The sophomore goalkeeper had at least four saves in each game, making 15 total stops in the three contests. Kufeld, who has played every minute for UW in the net this season, now has 65 saves on the season, a total that is fifth best in the Pac-12. She has posted four-straight shutouts and has seven blank sheets on the season. 

Mewis’ honor is the second of her career, with her first coming just last week, and the 49th all-time for the Bruins. The recognition for Pitalo is the first of her career and marks the 27th weekly honor overall for the Trojans, but just the first defensive honor for USC since the award was established in 2012. Kufeld takes home her second-career weekly honor, earning her first last year on Oct. 15, and the 21st all-time honor for the Huskies. 

UCLA and USC remain in the Pacific Northwest, with the Bruins taking on Washington State on Friday, Oct. 31, and Washington on Sunday, Nov. 2. The Trojans will play the Huskies on Friday, and the Cougars on Sunday. For more information, including a complete schedule, visit www.pac-12.com. 

ALSO NOMINATED

Offensive: Gabi Stoian, ARIZ; Miranda Stiver, OSU; Taylor Uhl, STAN; Jaclyn Softli, WASH; Kaitlyn Johnson, WSU. 

Defensive: Thelma Einarsdottir, CAL; Kathryn Baker, OSU; Caprice Dydasco, UCLA; Stine Schoening, WASH; Susie White, WSU. 

Goalkeeper: Emily Boyd, CAL; Bella Geist, OSU; Jane Campbell, STAN; Katelyn Rowland, UCLA; Gurveen Clair, WSU.

2014 PAC-12 WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK