MAC Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Week
Rachel Gaines, Appalachian State
Goalkeeper, Senior, Kettering, Ohio (Kettering Fairmont)
Rachel Gaines extended her shutout streak to three-straight games with a pair of clean sheets this weekend. The senior made eight saves between two games to help App State win its sixth-straight game, which is the program’s longest win streak since 1985. Gaines made two saves in Friday’s win at Saint Francis before making six saves in Sunday’s victory at Lock Haven. Gaines also stopped all five Lock Haven penalty stroke attempts in Appalachian’s shootout victory over the Bald Eagles. The Kettering, Ohio native leads the nation in shutout percentage, securing clean sheets in five of six games this season. Gaines began the weekend ranked second in the nation with a .895 save percentage. The App State goalkeeper boosted that percentage to .926 this weekend, making 25 saves on 27 shots on goal this season.
MAC Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week
Allie Grace Joyner, Miami
Forward, Junior, Louisville, Ky. (Christian Academy of Louisville)
Junior forward Allie Grace Joyner continued her impressive start to the season this week with her second multi-goal game in the last three games. Playing at No. 25 Michigan State on Friday, Joyner tallied the assist on the game-tying goal late in the second quarter. On Sunday in Miami's 5-1 win over Saint Francis, Joyner scored twice. Her first goal was a strong individual effort as she intercepted a Red Flash pass at the 25 and took the ball into the circle on her own and finished the play. Joyner's second goal of the game was part of a team effort as she scored on a rebound as Miami was strong on the attack of the Saint Francis goal. Joyner played a big role in Miami's offense taking the most shots in a single game in program history (46) in the Sunday game against Saint Francis. The RedHawks also earned 18 attacking penalty corners against the Red Flash. With her five points this week, Joyner set a new career-high for points in a single season and has tied her career-high in goals.
Other Nominees
Katie Wyman, Longwood
Goalkeeper, Redshirt Senior, Havertown, Pa. (Haverford)
Katie Wyman added more accolades to her stand out career with two consecutive shutouts against Merrimack and Davidson over the weekend as the Lancers secured a pair of 3-0 victories. The two-time All-MAC performer turned away all 13 shots she faced to register the 11th and 12th shutouts of her career at Longwood. The redshirt senior denied all seven shots she faced as the Lancers defeated Merrimack 3-0 on Friday, Sept. 13. She followed this performance with a six-save performance on Sunday, Sept. 15 against Davidson to bring Longwood's record to 3-2 as they eye the start of MAC conference play on Friday, Sept. 20.
Melanie Scibilia, Kent State
Back, Senior, Binghamton, N.Y.
Senior Melanie Scibilia was Kent State’s defensive leader this past weekend as the Flashes earned their second shutout of the season. Scibilia began the weekend with a defensive save against Fairfield. In the 5-0 shutout victory over Saint Louis, Scibilia played the entire game to help Kent State garner its second shutout victory. The Flashes’ defensive dominated the game holding Saint Louis to only four shots, two of which were on goal.
Kirsten McNeil, Miami
Back, Senior, Hong Kong (Heep Yun School)
Senior back Kirsten McNeil helped the Miami defense to two strong showings in addition to contributing to Miami's offense this weekend. At No. 25 Michigan State, McNeil helped hold the Spartans to only two penalty corners the entire game and none in the second half nor overtime periods. She also helped hold MSU to just one shot in each overtime period to keep pressure off of Miami's goalkeeper. On Sunday, McNeil registered the first multi-goal game of her career, also scoring the game-winning goal, in a 5-1 win against Saint Francis. McNeil scored less than two minutes into the game with a deflection and then scored less than three minutes into the second half, also on a deflection. McNeil led the Miami defense as it held Saint Francis to only three shots during the game and did not allow a Red Flash penalty corner chance.
Abigail Ebersole, Central Michigan
Goalkeeper, Senior, Duncannon, Pa. (Susquenita)
Senior goalkeeper Abigail Ebersole contributed a standout performance to wrap up Central Michigan's weekend of action. In a home showdown with No. 11 Michigan, who earlier in the week upset No. 3 UConn, Ebersole held the high-powered Wolverine offense off the scoreboard through the game's first 28-plus minutes. In the 3-0 loss, she made a career-high 16 saves to keep the Chippewas in the game. Ebersole also made seven stops in a loss at No. 12 Ohio State on Friday.
Audrey Tabor, Ball State
Back/MF, Junior, Louisville, Ky. (Sacred Heart)
Tabor helped the Cardinals control the backfield Sunday afternoon against UMass Lowell. It was a defensive battle in which Tabor had some key tackles and interceptions. She played a key role on the defensive corner unit which minimized the UMass Lowell's efficiency on their corners. Tabor was also awarded the assist on the Cardinals lone goal Sunday.
Karly Harwood, Longwood
Forward, Junior, Gloucester, Va.
Karly Harwood scored three goals in two games as Longwood notched a pair of 3-0 victories over Merrimack and Davidson this past weekend. The junior opened the scoring against Merrimack with her second goal of the season as the Lancers defeated the Warriors 3-0, on Friday, Sept. 13. The Gloucester, Va. native followed up this performance by scoring two goals against Davidson in a 3-0 Longwood victory on Sunday, Sept. 15. Harwood, whose third goal of the weekend came on an impressive redirect of the ball in front of the Davidson net, totaled six shots in the two games, including four on net.
Claudia Ortiz, Kent State
Forward, Freshman, Madrid, Spain
Freshman Claudia Ortiz had back-to-back games where she scored a goal this weekend. Her goal against Fairfield with 15 seconds remaining avoided the shutout for the Flashes. In the 5-0 win over Saint Louis, Ortiz scored her second goal of the season with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth period. Through two games, Ortiz fired four shots, scored two goals, and accumulated four points.
Allie Grace Joyner, Miami
Forward, Junior, Louisville, Ky. (Christian Academy of Louisville)
Junior forward Allie Grace Joyner continued her impressive start to the season this week with her second multi-goal game in the last three games. Playing at No. 25 Michigan State on Friday, Joyner tallied the assist on the game-tying goal late in the second quarter. On Sunday in Miami's 5-1 win over Saint Francis, Joyner scored twice. Her first goal was a strong individual effort as she intercepted a Red Flash pass at the 25 and took the ball into the circle on her own and finished the play. Joyner's second goal of the game was part of a team effort as she scored on a rebound as Miami was strong on the attack of the Saint Francis goal. Joyner played a big role in Miami's offense taking the most shots in a single game in program history (46) in the Sunday game against Saint Francis. The RedHawks also earned 18 attacking penalty corners against the Red Flash. With her five points this week, Joyner set a new career-high for points in a single season and has tied her career-high in goals.
Michelle Shampton, Ball State
Forward, Redshirt Senior, Dayton, Ohio (Oakwood)
Shampton gave the Cardinals hope Sunday afternoon when she scored Ball State's lone goal to tie the contest 1-1 with under five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter against UMass Lowell. Shampton's goal marked her third of the season and 12 of her career at Ball State. Shampton leads the Cardinals in points this season with seven and she had two against UMass Lowell. Shampton also leads the squad in shot percentage at 60 percent.
Veerle Van Heertum, Appalachian State
Midfielder, Junior, Valkenswaard, Netherlands (SG Weredi)
Veerle Van Heertum recorded the game-winning goal in App State’s win over Saint Francis on Friday. Van Heertum led the Mountaineers on the weekend with ten shots, firing three of those attempts on goal. The junior leads App State with 16 shots this season and ranks third on the team with five shots on target. The Valkenswaard, Netherlands native also struck the post in overtime in App State’s 1-0 win at Lock Haven. Van Heertum’s presence in the midfield helped App State secure its first wins over Saint Francis and Lock Haven in program history.
