Skip to main content

Cortez, Freeman Honored by Pac-12

Sep 27, 2021

SAN FRANCISO – Chai Cortez and Leah Freeman have been recognized as Pac-12 women's soccer athletes of the week for their efforts in Oregon's 0-0 tie at No. 3 UCLA on Friday.
 
Cortez, a senior from Kahului, Hawaii, was named the league's defensive player of the week, while Freeman, a sophomore from Berkeley, Calif., earned the Pac-12's top goalkeeper honors.
 
Both players helped Oregon shutout No. 3 UCLA, 0-0, Friday in Los Angeles. It was the first time in over three years that a team had shutout UCLA at Annenberg Stadium (1-0, Washington State, Sept. 18, 2018).
 
Freeman recorded six saves against the Bruins. She made back-to-back close-range stops following a UCLA free kick in the 60th minute. She made the save of the night in the 69th minute when UCLA's Sunshine Fontes got to a ball behind Oregon's backline but Freeman charged out of the net to smother Fontes' head on strike from inside the 18. It was Freeman's fifth shutout of the season, which ranks second in the Pac-12 and 16th nationally.
 
Cortez was matched up with UCLA's Maricarmen Reyes for much of the night and limited her to one shot attempt. Reyes was coming off an appearance with the Mexican National Team where she scored against Colombia.
 
The shutout was Oregon's third straight and fifth of the season. It was also the first time in program history that Oregon shutout UCLA.
 
It is the second career player of the week honor for Freeman and the first for Cortez.
 
Oregon plays at California Thursday at 4 p.m. (Pac-12 Network).
 
- www.GoDucks.com