Joyner and Wyman Earn Field Hockey Player of the Week Awards
Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week
Allie Grace Joyner, Miami
Forward, Sophomore, Louisville, Ky. (Christian Academy of Louisville)
Allie Grace Joyner paced the RedHawk attack with a goal in each of the Miami wins this weekend, adding a key insurance goal in the win over MAC foe Ball State, before scoring the game-tying goal in an eventual 2-1 win over Ohio State. She was the only Miami player to score in each game and is tied for the lead in goals scored this week by a MAC player.
Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Week
Katie Wyman, Longwood
Goalkeeper, Redshirt Junior, Havertown, Pa.
Wyman stood tall against two top-25 opponents and helped propel the Lancers to a 2-1 record last week, including a 2-1 victory over No. 20 Liberty that was Longwood's first against a top-25 team in the Division I era. She saved a penalty stroke in that upset win over Liberty and also registered a 3-0 shutout against MAC foe Central Michigan Saturday. No. 17 Rutgers eventually snapped Longwood's four-game win streak Sunday but got just five of their 18 shots on goal past Wyman, who matched a career high with 12 saves.
In Tuesday's milestone win over 20th-ranked Liberty, the Flames entered the game tied for the NCAA lead in goals per game but managed to score just once against Wyman. Longwood's redshirt junior keeper engineered a second-half shutout, which allowed Longwood's offense to rally from a 1-0 halftime deficit en route to the 2-1 victory. Wyman saved four of the five shots she faced against the Flames, including three in the second half. Her final save came with just 30 seconds on the clock to preserve the historic victory.
Against Central Michigan the following Saturday, Wyman picked up her second shutout of the season after orchestrating a dominant defensive performance in which Longwood held the Chips to just four shots, none of which were on goal.
In her final game of the week, Wyman squared off against the red-hot Scarlet Knights of Rutgers and turned away 12 of the 18 shots she faced. Those 12 saves matched a career high she set earlier this season.
On the season, Wyman leads the MAC in both goals against average (1.84) and save percentage (.800).
Other Nominees
Abigail Ebersole, Central Michigan
Goalkeeper, Junior, Duncannon, Pa. (Susquenita)
Junior goalkeeper Abigail Ebersole earned her first two starts of the season this week, facing MAC foe Longwood at home and No. 10 Michigan on the road. Facing a total of 46 shots (with 29 on goal) in the two games, Ebersole recorded 16 saves, including several highlight-reel stops. She kept the Chippewas in the game in their conference opener, helping to shut out the Lancers in the second half.
Mariona Heras, Miami
Back/Midfielder, R-Senior, Terrassa, Catalonia (IES Terrassa)
Mariona Heras led a defense that allowed only 15 shots, of which only five made it on cage. The RedHawks surrendered only one goal in 140 minutes as Miami picked up two wins on the road, defeating MAC rival Ball State 4-0 and in-state rival No. 22 Ohio State 2-1. Heras' tenacious defense was exemplified with a diving block of a shot in the last minute of play against Ohio State, sending the potential game-tying goal to midfield, preserving the 2-1 victory. At the other end of the field, Heras contributed an assist in the win over Ball State.
Alex Pennigton, Ohio
GK, Senior, Easton, Pa. (Easton Area)
Senior Alex Pennington played her first full match this against conference opponent Appalachian State getting her first shut out of the season. Appalachian State took eight shots on goal with Pennington making four saves. At the very end of the game App. State pulled their goalie and held the offensive for the last five minutes of the game taking six shorts, and Pennington made three saves to hold off for a Bobcat victory.
Mary Crumlish, Kent State
GK, Junior, Buffalo, NY (Williamsville North HS)
Junior Mary Crumlish has been a rock in goal for Kent State, making diving plays and tallying 9 saves in two games to bring her season total to 37. To highlight the weekend, Crumlish shut out Pacific in the second period and took No. 23 Stanford into a thrilling overtime contest. In an excellent performance against Stanford, the Buffalo, New York native racked up 6 saves and warded off two penalty corners in the first overtime period against the Cardinal.
Brenna Schoenbachler, Appalachian State
Midfielder, Freshman, Louisville, Kentucky (Mercy)
Schoenbachler notched a defensive save against No. 1 North Carolina on Tuesday. The freshman served as a key player on the Mountaineers' back line this weekend. Schoenbachler helped the Mountaineers only allow one goal to open conference play at Ohio.
Charlotte Wilm, Longwood
Midfielder, Sophomore, Dusseldorf, Germany
Wilm scored one of the biggest goals in Longwood field hockey history last week when she put the Lancers ahead 2-1 in the second half against No. 20 Liberty. That goal eventually stood as the game-winner for Longwood's first-ever win over a top-25 team in the Division I era. Wilm's go-ahead strike came in the 57th minute and completed a second-half comeback in which the Lancers overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit by scoring twice after halftime, tying the game on a Luna Lopez equalizer in the 49th minute and then taking the lead for good when Wilm followed a blocked shot with a putback for her first goal of the season.
Veerle Van Heertum, Appalachian State
Midfielder, Sophomore, Valkenswaard, Netherlands (SG Weredi)
Heertum continues to lead the Mountaineers in multiple categories. The sophomore tallied six total shots between total games -- four against Ohio and two against UNC. Van Heertum leads Appalachian in points (nine), goals (four) and shots (23). She also has recorded a game-winning goal and a defensive save so far in 2018. Van Heertum is a pivotal factor on penalty corners for Appalachian while also playing a key role in the middle of the field.
