Pac-12 announces women's soccer players of the week
SAN FRANCISCO - The Conference office announced today the Pac-12 Women's Soccer Players of the Week for action from Sept.14-20. USC's Mandy Freeman took home Offensive Player of the Week, while UCLA's Madison Tye was voted Defensive Player of the Week and for the second-straight week, CALIFORNIA’s Emily Boyd was tabbed Goalkeeper of the Week.
Freeman (West Palm Beach, Fla.) had a foot in each of the Trojans' goals that came in the run of play over the weekend. In USC's 3-1 victory of Pacific, Freeman assisted on USC's first goal of the game. The other two goals came from the penalty spot. Against St. Mary's (Calif.), Freeman assisted on the Trojans' first goal of the game and then netted her own in the 67th minute, scoring on a long-distance shot from 20 yards out. USC won, 2-0, and is unbeaten in its the last four matches. It is USC's 32nd all-time weekly honor and the first of the junior's career.
Tye (San Rafael, Calif.) played a vital role in UCLA's 1-0 victory over then-No. 19 Pepperdine on Thursday, Sept. 17. Tye and her teammates limited Pepperdine to just three shots during the 90-minute match, none of which were on goal. It was Tye's first individual Pac-12 Player of the Week honor and the second time this year that UCLA has claimed the defensive weekly honor. It is the 52nd all-time weekly accolade for UCLA, tops in the Conference.
For the second-straight week, Boyd (Seattle, Wash.) has been named Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week. She did not give up a goal in Cal's matches against San Francisco and Cal Poly over the weekend. In the Bears' 2-0 victory over USF, Boyd was only tasked with making one save. In the 0-0 draw against Cal Poly, Boyd made three stops, two of which were in final minutes of the second overtime period. The sophomore now has a shutout streak of 432:22, having not given up a goal since the first half against then-No. 18 Duke on Sept. 6. California has garnered 33 all-time weekly honors.
USC opens the Pac-12 season by hosting OREGON STATE on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 1 p.m. PT.
On Friday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. PT, UCLA will host OREGON at Drake Stadium live on the Pac-12 Network.
No. 14 California will go to COLORADO on Sunday, Sept. 27 at 1 p.m. MT. That match will be broadcast live on Pac-12 Mountain.
ALSO NOMINATED
Offensive: Gabi Stoian, ARIZ; Danica Evans, COLO; Kyra Fawcett, ORE; Nikki Faris, OSU; Michelle Xiao, STAN; Annie Alvarado, UCLA; Kimby Keever, WASH; Kaitlyn Johnson, WSU.
Defensive: Sheaffer Skadsen, ARIZ; Madison Krauser, COLO; Caitlyn Wong, ORE; Greta Espinoza, OSU; Alana Cook, STAN; McKenzie Karas, WASH.
Goalkeeper: Lainey Burdett, ARIZ; Kate Scheele. COLO; Halla Hinriksdottir, ORE; Bella Geist, OSU; Jane Campbell, STAN; Arielle Schechtman, UCLA; Sammy Jo Prudhomme, USC; Megan Kufeld, WASH.
2015 PAC-12 WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK