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

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- ARIZONA forward Jazmin Ponce was named Offensive Player of the Week and COLORADO goalkeeper Annie Brunner was named Defensive Player of the Week for Pac-12 Women’s Soccer for the week of Oct. 14-20, Commissioner Larry Scott announced today. 

Ponce, a senior from Lawndale, Calif., earned Offensive Player of the Week honors after scoring two goals, including the game-winning golden goal, in Arizona’s 3-2 overtime victory against USC on Friday afternoon at the Coliseum. Her first goal of the match came on a penalty kick in the second half that eventually sent it to overtime and the second tally ended the game five minutes into the first overtime period. Ponce’s fifth game-winning goal of the season leads the Conference and helped the Wildcats pick up their first win against the Trojans since 2004.   

Brunner, a senior from Arvada, Colo., was named Defensive Player of the Week after collecting a season-high seven saves to help the Buffs to a 1-1 tie against No. 9 California. The Bears only goal came with less than a minute left in regulation after a yellow card foul allowed them to even the score. Brunner had held the opponent scoreless for 89 minutes and went on to record three saves in overtime to secure the draw. The last time the Buffs tied a ranked team was back in 2010 when they pushed No. 6 Texas A&M to a 0-0 draw. 

This is the first-career weekly honor for Ponce and the 12th overall for Arizona, including the first one this year. Brunner now owns two of the three all-time weekly honors for Colorado in their third year in the Conference.

After a five-game road trip, Arizona returns home to finish out the remainder of their regular season games, starting with Washington State on Friday at 2 p.m. PT on Pac-12 Networks and Washington on Sunday at 12 noon PT. Colorado also heads home to take on USC at 3 p.m. MT on Friday and No. 2 UCLA on Sunday at 12 noon PT, both matches televised live on the Pac-12 Networks.

Also Nominated for Offense: Emi Lawson, CAL; Madison Krauser, COLO; Kristen Parr, ORE; Erin Uchacz, OSU;  Courtney Verloo, STAN;  Ally Courtnall, UCLA; Marlee Carrillo, USC; Kate Bennett, WASH. 

Also Nominated for Defense: Gabby Kaufman, ARIZ; Gabbie Lindeman, ORE; Sammy Jo Prudhomme, OSU; Jane Campbell, STAN; Katelyn Rowland, UCLA. 

(Colorado Photo Credit: Chip Bromfield)