MAC Announces Women's Soccer Player of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Lexi Pelafas- Central Michigan
Forward, Senior, Wheaton, Ill. (Wheaton North)
Senior forward Lexi Pelafas continued to build on her legacy as the greatest offensive player in CMU history last week, notching her program-record third hat trick in the Chippewas' 4-1 rout of Southern Utah. Already Central Michigan's career leader in goals and points, Pelafas dominated play throughout, scoring twice in the first half to stake the Chippewas a lead and then added a third early in the second half. She totaled 10 shots versus the Thunderbirds, eight of which were on goal. Against No. 14 Notre Dame on Thursday, Pelafas led CMU in shots (4) and shots on goal (2).
Defensive Player of the Week
Jane Labadie- Western Michigan
CB, Sophomore, Kalamazoo, Mich./Loy Norrix
Labadie, in her first collegiate start at center back, helped hold Detroit Mercy to just three total shots as the Broncos defeated the Titans, 3-0. Labadie was key in helping WMU pick up its first win and first shutout of the season.
Other Defensive Nominees
Kathleen Duvwe- Bowling Green
Goalkeeper, Junior, Sylvania, Ohio (Northview)
Bowling Green junior goalkeeper Kathleen Duwve had 12 saves and a goals-against average of just 0.88 during the regular season's opening weekend ... Duwve had a saves pct. of .857 ... she made two saves in the opener, a 1-1 draw vs. Loyola Marymount ... then had 10 stops, the fourth double-digit save total of her BG career, in the Falcons' 1-0 overtime setback against Hawai'i ... Duwve had a total of eight saves during all of last season, but had matched that total by halftime of BGSU's second game of the 2018 campaign. Duwve now has a career total of 104 saves as a Falcon.
Morgan Britain, CMU
Goalkeeper, Sophomore, Wolverine Lake, Mich. (Walled Lake Central)
Sophomore goalkeeper Morgan Britain, thrust into the starting line-up due to injury late in the preseason, helped CMU to a 1-1 record in the season's first week. In a road loss to No. 14 Notre Dame on Thursday, Britain made seven saves, including three in the first half to keep the Chippewas even with the Fighting Irish. In a dominating 4-1 win over Southern Utah on Sunday, Britain made three saves, earning her first career victory and the game ball from head coach Peter McGahey.
Paige Culver Kent State
Defender, Senior, Oakville, Ontario (St. Thomas Aquinas)
Reigning All-American defender Paige Culver showed her dominance on the pitch this weekend in Kent State's back row. The defending MAC Defensive Player of the Year played a pivotal part in Sunday's, 2-1 win over the Bonnies in which the Flashes allowed just six total shots and two on goal. In addition to being named an All-American and the MAC Defensive Player of the Year last season, Culver was tabbed a Scholar All-American, All-MAC First Team and All-Midwest First Team member.
Sydney Malham- Ohio
Goal Keeper, Sophomore, Nashville, Tenn. (Franklin Road Academy)
Sophomore keeper Sydney Malham led the Bobcats defensive this past weekend. In her one game of action, she recorded a shutout, while making one save and facing one shot in 92 minutes of work. On Aug. 19 in her first start of the season, Malham went the distance, playing 92 minutes in the 1-0 overtime victory. She faved one shot, making the save and did not allow a goal.
Other Offensive Nominees
Rachel Baughman- University of Akron
Forward, Senior, Alliance, Ohio (Louisville HS)
Rachel Baughman started her senior campaign off strong scoring the first goal of the 2018 season for the Akron Zips. Baughman, who set up at the top of the box prior to a corner kick, corralled the ball and fired it into the back of the net to give the Zips an early 1-0 lead. The goal was the fifth of Baughman's career.
Tatiana Mason- Ball State
Midfielder/Forward, Freshman, Ann Arbor, Mich. (Skyline)
The true freshman from Ann Arbor, Mich. came off the bench to score the game-winning goal in the first appearance of her collegiate career. She also led a steady attack with an additional two shots on goal to lead her team to victory.
Isabelle Mihail- Kent State
Forward, Sophomore, Kitchener, Ontario (St. Mary's Secondary)
Kent State sophomore forward Isabelle Mihail aided Kent State to a season-opening split in the first weekend of action. Mihail scored her first goal of the season on Thursday night against Butler, who is receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches national poll. She received a pass that was lofted over top of the goalkeeper and drilled it into the net to tie the match in the first period. On Sunday against St. Bonaventure, she rattled off five shots in Kent State's, 2-1 win over St. Bonaventure in the Flashes first win of the season. The Kitchener, Ontario native was a member of the All-MAC Freshman team last season.
Abby Townsend-Ohio
Forward, Freshman, Powell, Ohio (Olentangy Liberty)
Freshmen Abby Townsend led Ohio on the pitch during the opening weekend of play for the Bobcats. Overall on the weekend, Townsend scored two goals on six shots, with four of them on goal. She registered a .333 shot percentage and a .666 shot on goal percentage, while also recording one game-winning goal on overtime against Robert Morris.
On Friday, Aug. 17 in the season opener against Pitt, Townsend scored the first goal of the season for the Bobcats. In the 20th minute, she picked up her first career goal, giving Ohio the lead at the time. Overall, she registered three shots, with two on goal in 90 minutes. Then on Sunday, Aug. 19 against Robert Morris, Townsend registered three shots with two on goal. Then, with the game still scoreless in the 92nd minute, Townsend would head the ball in past the keeper, giving Ohio the 1-0 overtime victory.
Hannah Scafaria- Toledo
Forward, Senior, Kalamazoo, Mich. (Portage Northern)
Senior captain Hannah Scafaria recorded two goals for Toledo in the Rockets' season-opening road trip. On Friday at Xavier, Scafaria opened scoring in the 23rd minute when she trapped the ball at the top of the 18-yard box and blasted it into the right upper 90 to put Toledo up 1-0. On Sunday, WSU's Aaliyah Patten had scored in the 64th minute to put the Raiders up 1-0. The Rockets were able to respond and play to a tie thanks to Scafaria in the 70th minute though. Off a through ball from Claire Cahalan in the mid-field, Scafaria dribbled straight to the top of the box and slotted it past the keeper.
Hannah Kahn- Western Michigan
MF, Junior, Mount Pleasant, Mich./Mount Pleasant
Kahn had a part in each goal scored in WMU's season-debut win over Detroit Mercy. She set up the first goal to give WMU a 1-0 lead and then tallied a second assist on the second goal of the game to put the Broncos up 2-0. Kahn helped put the game out of reach with her first goal of the season, scoring in the 63rd minute to make it 3-0.
