WAC TEAM-BY-TEAM NOTES
Denver Pioneers (5-1-1, 0-0-0 WAC)
Denver went a perfect 2-0 last week, defeating in-state rival Colorado and UC Irvine to claim the Denver Inviational title ... Denver improved to 25-1-1 all-time at CIBER Field at the University of Denver Soccer Stadium ... the Pioneers will play a pair of Big 12 opponents next week, as Denver travels to Kansas (Friday, 4 p.m. MT), and Texas (Sunday, 6 p.m. MT, Longhorn Network) ... seven different Pioneers scored goals in the DU Invitational, and 10 different players have found the back of the net this season ... three-year starter Nicholette DiGiacomo scored a goal and tallied two assists this past weekend ... DiGiacomo moved into fourth on DU’s career-assists list (25) ... Kristen Hamilton and Sam Harder earned WAC Offesnive and Defensive Player of the Week honors, respectively ... Hamilton registered six points on the week.
Idaho Vandals (2-6-0, 0-0-0 WAC)
Idaho lost both games last week at Miami (Fla.) and Florida International ... the contests were Idaho’s farthest games east in school history and first matches in the Eastern Time Zone ... with six saves on Friday at Miami, Idaho senior Liz Boyden became Idaho’s program leader in career saves and in doing so, became the team’s career record holder in every goalkeeping category - games played, games started, saves, shutouts, wins and goals-against average ... on Sunday, Boyden improved to two-for-two in her career when facing penalty kicks, as she saved an FIU PK in the second half ... Idaho returns home this weekend for a pair of regional rivalries .. Idaho is at Eastern Washington on Friday and then host Washington State on Sunday.
Louisiana Tech Lady Techsters (5-1-2, 0-0-0 WAC)
Louisiana Tech went 1-0-1 last week ... the Lady Techsters defeated UALR 1-0 at home before playing South Alabama to a 1-1 tie in double overtime on the road ... in just 61 minutes of action versus South Alabama, Andrea Weng came off the bench and took nine shots ... five of those were on goal and one reached the back of the net in the 86th minute to tie the match 1-1 ... it was the most shots taken by a Lady Techster in one game since Sept. 4, 2009 ... Nicole Jaquemet had the assist on the game-winning goal versus UALR and led the defense in only allowing one goal for both contests ... this week, LA Tech hosts Jackson State on Friday before traveling to play Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday.
New Mexico State Aggies (1-4-1, 0-0-0 WAC)
In its home opener, the Aggies suffered a 1-0 loss to Sam Houston State in overtime, Sept. 7 ... at halftime, the Aggies and Bearcats were tied at 0-0 ... for the second time in three matches, the game was scoreless after 90 minutes of action ... the Aggies faltered in the second match of the home opening weekend with a 4-1 loss to Weber State, Sept. 9 ... after an early Wildcat goal in the seventh minute, the Aggies kept applying pressure and knotted the contest at 1-1 in the 41st minute of action ... on a free kick from 30 yards away, midfielder Mary Kate Koziol found forward Layla Todd in front of the net ... both the score and assist were the second of the season for Todd and Koziol, respectively, which are also team-high marks ... NMSU hosts UTEP Wednesday before traveling to play Montana and New Mexico.
San Jose State Spartans (2-4-1, 0-0-0 WAC)
San Jose State went 0-2 last week ... the Spartans dropped a 1-0 decision at home to former WAC rival Nevada before taking a 3-1 loss to UC Riverside ... Gabriella Stange led the Spartan attack on the week as she scored the lone goal for San Jose State ... Kelsey Lord led the Spartans with six shots, two on goal over the two games ... Emily Pryor registered a team-high four saves for the Spartans in 135 minutes of work ... the Spartans tallied 11 shots on goal over the two contests, while allowing only nine shots on goal by its opponents ... this week, San Jose State looks to rebound as the team travels to participate in the Hilton Garden Inn High Altitude Classic in Flagstaff, Ariz., where the team will take on UNLV and Northern Arizona.
Seattle U Redhawks (4-2-0, 0-0-0 WAC)
Stephanie Verdoia recorded her second straight game-winning goal for the Redhawks, scoring in the 97th minute, to top Gonzaga in the team’s first OT game of the season ... goalkeeper freshman Brianna Smallidge recorded her second career and second straight complete game shutout versus Gonzaga ... Seattle U recorded their third straight win, dating back to Aug. 26, after topping Eastern Washington, 3-0, and Portland State, 1-0 ... this week, Seattle U travels to take on Oregon and Oregon State on Friday and Sunday, respecitvely.
UTSA Roadrunners (1-5-0, 0-0-0 WAC)
Freshman goalkeeper Katarina Pus continues to rank among the league leaders for saves this season ... through six matches, Pus has 32 stops to rank second in the conference, while her 5.33 saves per contest paces the circuit ... UTSA will have two chances this weekend to secure its first road win of the season ... the Roadrunners will face former Southland Conference foe Sam Houston State at 7 p.m. on Friday before a 1 p.m. match at Houston two days later ... the Roadrunners are 6-2 all-time against the Bearkats and 3-2 versus the Cougars.
Texas State Bobcats (2-5-1, 0-0-0 WAC)
After having six of its first eight games on the road, Texas State will now have its next five at home ... Texas State suffered back-to-back shutouts for the first time since August last season ... Texas State dropped a 2-0 decision to Central Michigan before falling 3-0 at TCU ... prior to the shutouts, the Bobcats had tied the program record for most consecutive games with at least one goal to start the season, scoring in each of their first six games.
Utah State Aggies (5-1-2, 0-0-0 WAC)
Utah State went 1-0-1 last week at the Viking Classic in Portland, Oregon ... the team won its classic opener with a 1-0 victory over Eastern Washingon ... USU then closed out the Classic with a 0-0 double-overtime tie against host Portland State ... forward Jade Tarver scored USU’s only goal of the week, coming off the bench to give USU a 1-0 win over Eastern Washington, scoring her second goal of the season in the 85th minute to give the Aggies the win ... Ashlyn Mulford earned Defensive MVP honors at the Viking Classic after leading Utah State to a pair of shutouts ... against EWU, she made six saves as the Aggies went on to a 1-0 win ... in the tie against Portland State, she had nine saves ... she also received WAC Goalkeeper of the Week honors ... this week, USU hosts Washington on Thursay.
WAC NOTES
WAC SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Offensive: Kristen Hamilton, Jr., F, Denver
Hamilton led the Pioneers with two goals and two assists as Denver defeated Colorado 4-1 and UC Irvine 4-0 in its home-opening weekend. Although it won’t show up as an assist on the stat sheet, Hamilton created the Pioneers’ opening goal of the weekend, weaving through defenders and drawing a foul 28 yards out. Teammate Sam Harder then went on to score the free-kick. Hamilton lent a helping hand on DU’s second goal as well, playing a through ball to teammate Nicholette DiGiacomo two minutes later. A Denver Invitational All-Tournament team selection, Hamilton scored her opening goal of the weekend in the 23rd minute to give Denver a 3-0 lead over in-state rival Colorado. On Sunday, Hamilton gave Denver the two-goal cushion it was looking for in the 51st minute. With the six-point weekend, Hamilton moved into 10th on DU’s all-time points list (71).
Other offensive nominees included: Louisiana Tech sophomore midfielder Andrea Weng … Seattle U sophomore forward Stephanie Verdoia … Utah State sophomore forward Jade Tarver.
Defensive: Sam Harder, So., D, Denver
Harder anchored a Pioneer defense that allowed just one goal against previously-unbeaten Colorado and shutout UC Irvine. Harder scored the opening goal of the weekend on a 28-yard free kick. A DU Invitational All-Tournament Team selection, Harder is the only player to play all 650 minutes for the Pioneers this season.
Other defensive nominees included: Louisiana Tech freshman defender Nicole Jaquemet … New Mexico State senior defender Courtney Irwin … Utah State sophomore defender Taryn Rose.
Goalkeeper: Ashlyn Mulford, Sr., GK, Utah State
Mulford earned Defensive Most Valuable Player honors at the Viking Classic in Portland, Ore., this past week. Mulford led Utah State to a pair of shutouts versus Eastern Washington (W, 1-0) and host Portland State (T, 0-0 OT). Against EWU, she made six saves as the Aggies went on to a 1-0 win. In the tie against Portland State, Mulford was impressive, making match-saving saves in the first half and overtime that kept the Vikings off the scoreboard. For the match, she had nine saves. Mulford played all 200 minutes in the two matches. She had 15 saves, while allowing no goals for a 0.00 goals against average on the week.
Other goalkeeper nominees included: Denver senior Lara Campbell … Seattle U freshman Brianna Smallidge.
WEEK 4 HIGHLIGHTS
Denver went a perfect 2-0 last week with wins over in-state rival Colorado and UC Irvine. The two wins moved the Pioneers into first place in the league’s non-conference standings. Seattle U was also perfect last week, going 1-0 with a 1-0 road win at Gonzaga in overtime. Louisiana Tech and Utah State each went 1-0-1. The Lady Techsters defeated UALR 1-0 and tied South Alabama 1-1 on the road in double overtime. Utah State downed Eastern Washington 1-0 before tying Portland State 0-0 on the road. Denver’s Kristen Hamilton led the league with six points off of two goals and two assists last week.
SEATTLE U’S BUSQUE NAMED COLLEGESOCCER360 PRIMETIME PERFORMER
Seattle U senior Melissa Busque (St. Bruno, Quebec, Canada) was named to the Division I CollegeSoccer360 Primetime Performer Weekly Honor Roll for the week of Aug. 27 – Sept. 2 for her performance in the team’s 1-0 victory over Portland State. Recording 73 minutes in the start versus Portland State, Busque notched her first career assist for the Redhawks in the match on Stephanie Verdoia’s game-winning goal in the 76th minute.
2012 WAC TOURNAMENT
The 2012 Western Athletic Conference Soccer Tournament will be held at the Chuck and Gloria Bell Soccer Field on the campus of Utah State University in Logan, Utah. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Utah State ticket office at (435) 797-0305.
2012 NCAA COLLEGE CUP
The 32nd Annual Women’s College Cup will be held Nov. 30 and Dec. 2, 2012, in San Diego, Calif., at the University of San Diego Torero Stadium. Last season, the WAC had one team compete in postseason play with Utah State falling in the fi rst round to Auburn.
