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College Soccer News – Women’s National Team Of The Week – Week Ending September 25, 2022

The Team Of The Week Recognizes Players Who Made A Significant Contribution To The Success That Their Teams Had During The Week

Leah Pais – Senior – Forward – Pittsburgh – Pais was a difference maker for the Panthers in ACC wins over Miami 3-1 and Notre Dame in South Bend 3-1. She scored with a double assist from Ashton Gordon and Sarah Schupansky in the victory over Miami and added her team leading seventh goal of the still young 2022 season in Pitt’s subsequent win over the Irish. The Panthers improve to 10-1-0 with a 3-0-0 mark in ACC play. Pitt will seek to build on their current momentum when they host Louisville on Saturday.
Michelle Cooper – Sophomore – Forward – Duke – Cooper continues to be a force on the offensive side of the ball for Duke. This week she scored twice in Duke’s 3-0 win over Boston College and contributed two goals and two assists in the Blue Devils 6-0 win in Raleigh over NC State. Duke is 8-2-0 overall with a 3-0-0 mark in ACC play. Cooper and her Duke teammates have a huge ACC game with national implications when they host Virginia on Friday.
Penelope Hocking – Senior – Forward – Penn State – Hocking played a role in two impressive Nittany Lion wins. She utilized her quickness to create the space she needed to send a left-footer into the back of the frame after receiving a through ball from redshirt senior forward Ally Schlegel in Penn State’s 2-0 win over previously unbeaten and untied Rutgers. Hocking followed that up with a two goal evening in the Nittany Lions 5-0 win over Illinois with Amelia White and Schlegel providing the helpers. Penn State secures two good Big Ten wins to improve to 7-1-2 overall with a 2-0-1 mark in conference action. They will host Michigan State on Thursday and face Ohio State in Columbus on Sunday.
Felicia Knox – Junior – Midfielder – Alabama – Knox is a playmaker. This week she assisted on the goal scored by Reyna Reyes in the Tides 4-2 win over Tennessee and contributed two assists and scored in Alabama’s 3-0 win over Texas A and M. She now has an NCAA leading 11 assists during the 2022 season which is a new single season assist record for Alabama. The Tide is 10-1-1 with a 3-0-0 mark in Southeastern Conference play. A potentially difficult SEC contest against Georgia in Athens is up next on their dance card.
Abby Gearhart – Senior – Midfielder – Bucknell – Gearhart came up with the big play the Bison needed to top American 1-0 when she sent a one-timer into the back of the frame in the 81st minute of play. The goal was set up by a combination of passes from Rylee Donaldson and Teresa Deda. Gearhart’s header out of a corner kick put in play by Deda also proved to be the game-winner in Bucknell’s subsequent 3-0 win over Colgate. The Bison secure two Patriot League wins to improve to 5-4-1.
Eva van Deursen – Graduate Student – Midfielder – Arizona State – Eva van Deursen’s scored with an assist from Nicole Douglas and contributed the game-winning goal from long range with only three seconds remaining to give the Sun Devils the edge they needed to top Colorado 3-2 on the road in their season opening Pac-12 contest. Oregon State is undefeated with a 5-0-2 overall record. The Ducks will host California on Thursday and nationally ranked Stanford on Sunday.
Haley Shand – Graduate Student – Midfielder – Charlotte – Shand was a key contributor in the 49ers CSUA wins over Louisiana Tech and UTEP. She netted Charlotte’s first goal with an assist from freshman Bailey Manfredi in their 2-0 win over Louisiana Tech and had the first brace of her career to propel the 49ers past UTEP 3-0. Charlotte gains momentum that they will seek to build on as they improve to 3-6-2 overall with a 2-2-0 mark in CSUA play. The 49ers travel to Boca Raton to face Florida Atlantic on Sunday.
Natalie Bain – Freshman – Defender – Xavier – Bain had a very productive week of play for the Musketeers. She converted a header out of a free kick put in play by midfielder Rachel Dewey to give Xavier the edge needed to top Butler 1-0 in a Big East matchup. The freshman back followed that up with a goal out of a corner kick served in by midfielder Rachel Day and assisted on Emma Marcus’ game-winner in Xavier’s 2-1 Big East win over DePaul. The Musketeers are 8-2-1 overall with a 2-0-0 mark in Big East play. They now travel to face Villanova on Thursday before returning home to tangle with Seton Hall.
Gwen Mummert – Graduate Student – Defender – Mississippi State – Mummert made her presence known as a key contributor on both sides of the ball for a Mississippi State team that is unbeaten in eleven contests and for the first time in program history has begun the season with three wins in SEC play. Mummert was a vital part of a Dawg defense along with goalkeeper Maddy Anderson that shutout Texas A and M 1-0 in College Station. She also scored out of a corner kick put in play by sophomore midfielder Haley McWhirter and put in a full 90 minutes of play in Mississippi State’s subsequent 3-2 win over LSU in front of a record crowd in Starkville. The Dawgs put their 9-0-2 record on the line when they face Missouri on the road on Friday.
Nicole Payne – Senior – Defender – USC – Payne came up big for the Trojans scoring twice to give USC the edge they needed to secure a solid 2-1 come from behind win over Stanford in their opening Pac-12 match of the season. She one-timed a shot into the the far left post after receiving a through ball from freshman midfielder Simi Awujo to score the equalizer and sent a failed clearance into the back of the net to contribute the game-winner. USC opens Pac-12 play with an impressive win and improves to 5-1-1 overall. The Trojans resume conference play with challenging contests on the road against Oregon State on Thursday and Oregon on Sunday.
Alex Wagner – Junior – Defender – Vanderbilt – Wagner decisively drove a volley into the back of the net and put in a full tour of duty in Vanderbilt’s 2-0 win over Kentucky. She also was a solid factor on the defensive side of the ball in the Commodores 2-0 win over Missouri during which Maddie Baker and Alex Kerr scored for Vanderbilt during the final three minutes of play. The Commodores improve to 8-1-1 with a 2-1-0 mark in SEC play and will resume SEC play with a contest on the road against Auburn on Friday.
Victoria Haugen – Junior – Defender – Virginia Tech – Haugen was a key ingredient in a Hokie defense that shutout NC State 1-0 in Raleigh and Wake Forest 2-0 in Winston-Salem to secure two very solid ACC wins. Haugen put in a full shift in both contests. She and her Virginia Tech teammates are 5-0-0 on the road with an 8-2-1 overall record. Virginia Tech resumes play with they host North Carolina on Saturday.
Leah Freeman – Junior – Goalkeeper Oregon – Freeman was rock solid between the pipes for Oregon. She had a productive six save evening that included several challenging saves in goal in the Ducks 1-1 draw with Portland. Freeman followed that up with a stellar career high 14 save evening to anchor a solid Oregon defense in a 2-0 win over Washington. The Ducks earn a nice Pac-12 opening win but things don’t get any easier with UCLA coming to Eugene on Thursday and USC on Sunday.
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