Big South Announces Women's Soccer Players of the Week - Aug. 22
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) –- UNC Asheville sophomore forward
Taylor Gardner (Cherry Hill, N.J.) has been named the Big South Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, while Longwood senior defensive midfielder
Catharine Forst (Bristow, Va.) and USC Upstate junior goalkeeper
Cora Brendle (Boiling Springs, S.C.) are the Co-Defensive Players of the Week for matches played during the first week of the regular season, it was announced today. In addition, Longwood forward
Emma Jones (Roanoke, Va.) has been selected as the Freshman of the Week.
Gardner scored in both of UNC Asheville’s matches last week, headlined by a four-point effort in the Bulldogs’ 4-1 victory over VMI on Sunday. The forward opened the scoring on Sunday with a 39th-minute tally, and later assisted on UNC Asheville’s next two goals to help put the match out of reach. On Thursday at Wofford, she scored the Bulldogs’ first goal of the season with a second-half equalizer in the 69th minute.
Forst shined on both ends of the pitch last weekend and led the Lancers to a perfect 2-0 start to the young season. The senior scored the game winner and led the backline to a clean sheet in Longwood’s season-opening victory over Richmond on Thursday. She then made it two goals in two matches with a 56th-minute tally and helped hold UMBC to just five shots on target for the match in Sunday’s win over the Retrievers.
Brendle made the most saves in the conference last week (11) and posted her first shutout of the season. On Thursday, the goalkeeper made five stops in a 1-1 draw against Davidson and later totaled six saves in a scoreless draw with Appalachian State on Sunday.
Jones was a substitute in Longwood’s two wins to open the season and scored her first collegiate goal in the Lancers’ 4-1 victory over UMBC on Sunday.
Also nominated for Offensive Player of the Week:
Jackie Richards (Campbell),
Bri Robinson (Charleston Southern),
Maddie Turlington (Gardner-Webb),
Sam Gerhart (High Point) and
Abbie McCrea (Winthrop)
Also nominated for Defensive Player of the Week:
Laney Peabody (Campbell),
Lea Gossett (Gardner-Webb),
Emma Schossler (High Point) and
Izzy GIarrizzi (Winthrop)
Also nominated for Freshman of the Week:
Rebecka Hemlin (Gardner-Webb),
Brooklyn Scythes (UNC Asheville) and
Chela Parris (Winthrop)