Stanford's Verloo, California's Kruger named Pac-12 players of the week

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- STANFORD forward Courtney Verloo and CALIFORNIA goalkeeper Emily Kruger were named Pac-12 Women’s Soccer Players of the Week for the week of Sept. 16-22, Commissioner Larry Scott announced today. 

Verloo, a fifth-year senior from Tualatin, Ore., was named Offensive Player of the Week after collecting her first-collegiate hat trick when she tallied three goals in a 3-2 double-overtime victory at No. 22/13 Santa Clara on Sunday night.  Verloo found the net a minute and a half into the match off of a free-kick from 30 yards out. When the Cardinal found themselves down 2-1 with less than a minute remaining in regulation, she buried a penalty kick to send the match to overtime. Verloo then scored the game-winning goal on a perfectly placed 22-yard free kick during the second overtime. She added two assists earlier in the weekend in the team’s 5-0 victory over Saint Mary’s on Thursday, marking her 100th victory as a member of the Cardinal. 

Kruger, a senior from Woodside, Calif., earned Defensive Player of the Week honors after tallying a career-high 11 saves to secure a 1-1 draw with No. 22/13 Santa Clara on Thursday to help the Bears stay unbeaten at 5-0-2. Kruger subdued a high-powered Bronco offense that blasted 27 shots, including 12 that were on frame. She now owns a .800 save percentage with a 0.83 goals against average on the season. 

This is the second-career weekly honor for both Verloo and Kruger and the 37th and 26th overall for Stanford and California, respectively. 

Pac-12 play opens this weekend as California and Stanford both travel east to the mountain time zone. The Bears face the Utes in a match set for 7:30 p.m. MT on Friday evening while the Cardinal will take on Colorado at 1 p.m. MT on Saturday afternoon. California then returns to the Bay for their last non-conference matchup at San Francisco on Monday at 7 p.m. PT.

Also Nominated for Offense: Jazmine Ponce, ARIZ; Samantha Witteman, CAL; Darcy Jerman, COLO; Bri Pugh, ORE;  Jenna Richardson, OSU; Darian Jenkins, UCLA; Taylor Slattery, Utah; Kate Bennett, WASH; Micaela Castain, WSU. Also Nominated for Defense: Gabby Kaufman, ARIZ; Reilley Moore, ORE; Sammy Jo Prudhomme, OSU; Maddie Bauer, STAN; Katelyn Rowland, UCLA; Megan Kufeld, WASH; Gurveen Clair, WSU. 

2013 Pac-12 Women’s Soccer Players of the Week