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 Nov. 3-9. UCLA’s Kylie McCarthy was voted Offensive Player of the Week, while COLORADO’s Morgan Stanton was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week and ARIZONA STATE’s Chandler Morris was named Goalkeeper of the Week. 

Kylie McCarthy (Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.) scored both goals in the final 11 minutes of UCLA’s 2-0 win at USC that clinched the outright Pac-12 Championship for the Bruins. The senior forward broke a scoreless tie in the 79th minute, following up an assist from Caprice Dydasco. McCarthy continued the attack with another shot thirty seconds later that went wide before connecting on a pass from Ally Courtnall and burying the shot in the far post for the final goal. The win at USC gave UCLA its 11th Pac-12 Championship, and extended UCLA’s unbeaten streak to 41 games and its shutout streak to seven games. 

Morgan Stanton (Lakewood, Colo.) anchored the Colorado defense in the Buffaloes’ 2-0 victory against Utah. The sophomore played in all 90 minutes, holding Utah to 11 shots and only five on goal as Colorado recorded its 11th shutout of the season and fifth against Pac-12 opponents. The 11 shutouts are tied for second most all-time in single-season program history, with 2005 being the last time CU reached that mark. Stanton also started the attacking sequence that led to the eventual game-winning goal scored by teammate Brie Hooks. The defensive midfielder started every match this season and helped CU finish third in the Pac-12 and post a winning league record for the first time since joining the Conference in 2011. 

Chandler Morris (Corona, Calif.) faced 14 shots and made four saves in Arizona State’s 1-0 win over Arizona on Friday. In the first half, Morris made a diving effort to push the ball away, then regained control immediately and stopped it just inches from the goal line for the save. The senior had another diving save late int he first half to deflect a shot that was headed into the far left post. Morris clinched the win in the final minute as she came up with a save on a wide-open shot from 12 yards out. Morris and the ASU defense earned the shutout against an Arizona team that had scored six goals in its last four games. With the blank sheet, she passed former Sun Devil Kim Bingham for the second-most shutouts in a season in school history with 7.5. 

McCarthy’s honor is the first of her career and the 50th for the Bruins. Stanton’s is also the first of her career, and marks the sixth honor all-time for the Buffaloes. Morris has now earned goalkeeper of the week twice in her career, with her first honor coming earlier this year on Oct. 20, and gives ASU its 24th honor overall. 

Both teams await their postseason fate as the NCAA Women’s College Cup selection show is this afternoon at 1:30 p.m. PT. For more information, including a complete schedule, visit www.pac-12.com. 

ALSO NOMINATED

Offensive: Madison Stark, ASU; Brie Hooks, COLO; Bri Pugh, ORE; Lo’eau LaBonta, STAN; Jocelyn Jeffers, WSU. 

Defensive: McKenzie Berryhill, ASU; Reilley Moore, ORE; Caprice Dydasco, UCLA. 

Goalkeeper: Kate Scheele, COLO; Abby Steele, ORE; Katelyn Rowland, UCLA.

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