MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Clara Rodriguez, Kent State University
Midfield, Senior, Barcelona, Spain (Agora Sant Cugat)
2019 First Team All-MAC midfielder, Clara Rodriguez, filled the stat sheet in Kent State’s sweep of Bellarmine this past weekend. She totaled 9 shots, 4 goals, and 2 assists. In game 1, Rodriguez helped the Flashes get off to a red-hot start scoring a hat trick in the first quarter alone leading to an 8-0 victory. On Saturday, she continued her offensive playmaking with another goal and tallying two assists in the Flashes 7-0 win. Her midfield play was a huge part in Kent State’s combined 39-4 shots on goal advantage. Rodriguez totaled 10 points for the weekend.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Audrey Tabor, Ball State
Defender, Senior, Louisville, Ky. (Sacred Heart)
Audrey once again controlled the backfield for the Ball State Cardinals. Her ability to intercept and win one-on-one matchups neutralized the Bobcat offense for much of the Friday and Saturday matches. Audrey’s presence was felt all over the field. Her excellent defending helped the Cardinals rise to a 2-0 lead for much of the Friday match against OU. On Saturday, her management of the Ohio offense helped Ball State take back momentum after falling behind 1-0. The Cardinals stalled out the Ohio offense and gained the advantage in offensive categories, though victory escaped the Cards in overtime.
Other Nominees
Emma Bressler, Kent State University
Back, Senior, Reading, Pennsylvania (Schuylkill Valley)
Senior back Emma Bressler anchored a Kent State defense that registered two consecutive shutouts against Bellarmine this past weekend. The Flashes defensive unit only gave up 1 defensive penalty corner and only 4 shots on goal over the course of both games. Bressler’s defensive play contributed greatly to Kent State’s combined 22-1 penalty corner advantage. She also contributed on the offensive end with 9 shots, scoring 2 goals and registering 2 assists for a total of 6 points on the weekend.
Veerle Van Heertum, App State
Midfield, Senior, VALKENSWAARD, NETHERLANDS (SG WERED)
Van Heertum is the core of the Mountaineer defense that held CMU to just eight total shots during this past weekend's home stand versus the Chippewas. On Sunday and led by Van Heertum, CMU only got off a single shot. Van Heertum also joined in on the offensive explosion Sunday by scoring a goal as well. The do-it-all midfielder elevated App State to second in the conference standings at 2-2 in MAC play.
Luli Rosso, Miami University
Midfield, Sophomore, Mendoza, Argentina (Univ. Nacional de Argentina / Los Tordos)
Rosso’s play in the midfield helped create advantages of 25-9 in shots and 14-6 on corners, powering the RedHawks to two wins over MAC-rival Longwood on the road. Miami won both games by an aggregate score of 5-2; Rosso was a part of both game-winning goals as she had the initial stop on the goal in Friday’s win and then set up Negrete’s goal in the Saturday win.
Angel Nkosi, Ball State
Forward/Midfielder, Sophomore, PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA (ST MARY'S DSG PRETORIA)
Sophomore Angel Nkosi created multiple attacking opportunities over the course of the Cardinals victory over the Ohio Bobcats on Friday. She was a big part of the 2-0 advantage that the Cardinals held for almost all of the game. Nkosi generated attacking momentum and won corners for the Ball State squad in both matches. She scored the equalizing goal in a hotly contested match with the Bobcats on Saturday. Nkosi eliminated 4 players and took the goalie on to bury the goal and bring the Cards into a dominant fourth quarter, with opportunities to finish the match with a barrage of late game attacking corners before eventually falling in OT.
Leah Warren, Ohio
Defender, Senior, Hamilton, New Zealand / St. Peter’s School, Cambridge
Senior defender Leah Warren led the Bobcats this week, helping Ohio pick up their first win of the season on Saturday against Ball State. On the week, Warren recorded one goal on five shots, with all of them on goal. Her one goal and two points came on Saturday in overtime against Ball State, where Warren scored the game winning goal to send Ohio back to Athens with the victory.
Friederike Stegen, App State
Midfield, Junior, LAATZEN, GERMANY (BISMARCK SCHOOL)
The dangerous midfielder led the App State offensive explosion this weekend versus Central Michigan. App State recorded 48 shots to CMU's eight. 12 of those shots came from Stegen as she jump started the 6-1 route of the Chippewas by getting the Mountaineers on the board in the second. Stegen is also now just two assists, 16 currently, away from tying second in program history for all-time career assists. With Sunday's win and offensively led by Stegen, the Mountaineers moved into second place in the MAC at 2-2 in conference play.
Claudia Negrete Garcia, Miami
Striker, Freshman, Santander, Spain (Torrevelo-Penalabra/Sardinero)
Negrete scored two of Miami’s five goals on the weekend, notching both game winners. On Friday she got the ball at the top of the circle and maneuvered between defenders to get off a backhand shot with 83 seconds left in regulation to go up 2-1. On Saturday her direct shot on the corner also put Miami up 2-1. Negrete’s four goals lead the conference.
