Four Pac-12 Teams Ranked After Opening Weekend

SAN FRANCISCO — Four Pac-12 women’s soccer teams are ranked in the top-25 this week, the second-most of any conference. Pac-12 programs will face four ranked opponents as part of this week’s 24-match schedule, highlighted by a pair of top-five clashes. No.4 UCLA and No. 5 USC will both face top-ranked and defending NCAA Champion Florida State (Thursday, Aug. 29, 5:30 p.m. PT, P12LA & Sunday, Sept. 1, 2 p.m. PT, P12N). Additionally, Washington hosts No. 2, North Carolina (Thursday, Aug. 29, 7 p.m. PT, P12W) and Colorado faces No. 24 Texas (Sunday, Sept. 1, 12 p.m. PT, P12N).

OPENING WEEK PRODUCTION:
• Eight Pac-12 teams went undefeated in the first week of play, with seven teams keeping clean sheets.
• Pac-12 posted a 13-3-3 mark (.763) during opening week, second only to the ACC (24-2-0, .923).
• ARIZONA STATE currently sits at the top pack, leading the Conference in goals (11), assists (9), and points (31).
• CALIFORNIA’s five goals and four assists earn the Bears a top-10 spot in the country in goals and assists.
• UTAH keeper Carly Nelson recorded 14 saves this past weekend, the most in the Pac-12, and UCLA’s Teagan Micah and COLORADO’s Jalen Tompkins both posting two shutouts, the most in the Conference.

IN THE RANKINGS:
• Four Pac-12 teams appear in this week’s national rankings after one week of play. Stanford remains at No. 3 after going undefeated this weekend. The Cardinal took down two ranked sides, including then No. 6 Penn State, 2-1, to earn its ninth-straight season-opener victory.
• UCLA maintains its No. 4 rank after shutting out both Iowa State (3-0) and Long Beach State (3-0). USC stays at No. 5 and is 2-0 after pair of wins against Hawai’I (3-0) and San Francisco (2-0).
• Washington State comes in at No. 23 this week after posting a 4-0 victory over Seattle.

MAC HERMANN WATCH LIST:
• Taylor Kornieck helped Colorado earn a pair of shutouts this weekend. Kornieck’s early second half goal put the Buffs on the board to help defeat Drake 2-0. The senior midfielder is currently tied for Conference lead in shots (11).
• UCLA’s Ashley Sanchez netted a goal and recorded an assist in the Bruins’ season-openening win over Iowa State. Sanchez also put in a free kick to freshman forward Mia Fishel, who scored the game-winner to top Long Beach State, 1-0.
• Nine Pac-12 student-athletes were named to the 2019 MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List. This is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. The watch list is headlined by 2018 MAC Hermann Trophy winner Caterina Macario of Stanford. The Cardinal is further represented by sophomore forward Sophia Smith. The Bruins lead the Conference with three student-athletes on the list: 2018 semifinalist Ashley Sanchez, 2017 finalist Jessie Fleming, and junior defender Lucy Parker. Adding to the list of honorees are USC’s Kaylie Collins and Savannah DeMelo, Colorado’s Taylor Kornieck, and Washington State’s Morgan Weaver.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK:
• Stanford’s Macario earned her third-career Offensive Player of the Week honors after netting two goals to take down No. 6 Penn State in front of the second-largest crown in Penn State history (5,230). Macario helped the Cardinal start the season 2-0 and defeat two ranked teams this weekend: No. 6 Penn State (2-1) and No. 11 West Virginia (3-1).
• Brianna Alger earned her first Defensive Player of the week honors this week after making her season debut at left back for Washington State. Alger made her first-career start at left back after having been a forward her entire career, and tallied two assists in one match, doubling her career assists (four) in the first 20 minutes of the new season. The junior defender also helped lead the Cougars to the shutout of Seattle allowing just three shots in the game despite playing on the road.
• UCLA’s Teagan Micah earned her seventh-career Goalkeeper of the Week honors after earning back to back wins this weekend. Micah two saves helped the Bruins keep two clean sheets and go undefeated to start the season. The senior also grabbed her 200th career save in the 3-0 win over Iowa State, becoming just the fourth Bruin goalkeeper to record 200 or more saves.

2018 IN REVIEW
• Last season, five Pac-12 teams earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament. Stanford entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed, UCLA at No. 2, and USC at No. 4, while Washington State and ARIZONA clinched at-large bids. The Conference posted an impressive postseason run, as all Pac-12 squads went undefeated in the first round for the first time since 2007. The Cardinal, the Bruins, and the Trojans landed spots in the third round, marking the third-straight year three Conference teams were in the round of 16.

PAC-12 WOMEN’S SOCCER BROADCAST
• 73 women’s soccer contests will be televised on Pac-12 Networks throughout the season. 10 matches will be broadcasted this weekend beginning with No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 4 UCLA, No. 2 North Carolina at Washington, and No. Florida vs. No. 5 USC on Thursday, Aug. 29.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE (Times local to site)

P12N/P12A/P12BA/P12LA/P12M/P12O/P12W - Indicates live broadcast on Pac-12 Network. MWN - Indicates live broadcast on Mountain West Network. 

PAC-12 PLAYER OF THE WEEK
THIS WEEK: 
Offensive: Catarina Macario, STAN
Defensive: Brianna Alger, WSU
Goalkeeper: Teagan Micah, UCLA

ALSO NOMINATED:
Offensive: Nicole Douglas, ASU; Luca Deza, CAL; Taylor Kornieck, COLO; Jordon Wormdahl, ORE; McKenzie Weinhert, OSU; Mia Fishel, UCLA; Elyse Bennett, WSU
Defensive: Emily Smith, CAL; Kelsey Aaknes, COLO; Sydney Studer, OSU; Sam Hiatt, STAN; Karina Rodriguez, UCLA
Goalkeeper: Jalen Tompkins, COLO; Lauren Rood; STAN; Dani Hansen, WASH; Ella Dederick, WSU

2019 PAC-12 WOMEN'S SOCCER PLAYER OF THE WEEK

NATIONAL HONORS
MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List
Taylor Kornieck, Colorado; Caterina Macario, Stanford; Sophia Smith, Stanford; Jessie Fleming, UCLA; Lucky Parker, UCLA; Ashley Sanchez, UCLA; Kaylie Collins, USC; Savannah DeMelo, USC; Morgan Weaver, Washington State

IN THE PRESEASON

Pac-12 Preseason Poll | NCAA Preseason Poll | MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List