Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Week
Wietske Overdijkink, Ball State
Goalie, Sophomore, Baambrugge, The Netherlands (Cygnus Gymnasium)
Wietske turned away 13 shots over the course of two hotly contested matches against Longwood this weekend. Wietske earned Ball State its first shutout of the season on Saturday. Wietske faced 16 corners over the course of the weekend and held down a defensive unit that allowed only one goal in those attempts. She currently leads the league with a .810 Save Percentage following the weekend’s matches.
Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week
Katie Wuerstle, Kent State University
Forward, Freshman, Collegeville, Pennsylvania (Perkiomen Valley)
Freshman forward Katie Wuerstle played a critical role in Kent State’s tightly contested 3-2 victory over Appalachian State this past Friday. Trailing by a goal for much of the game, the Golden Flashes needed a spark on the offensive end. Wuerstle created that spark by scoring her fourth and fifth goals of the season. She knotted the score at 2-2 late in the third quarter and then scored again minutes later for what would become the game winning goal with just one second remaining on the clock in the quarter. Wuerstle tallied five shots over the Flashes two victories with four of them being on goal.
Other Nominees
Meghan Smart, App State
Midfield/Forward, Senior, Haddonfield, NJ (HADDONFIELD MEMORIAL)
Meghan Smart offensively kept the Mountaineers in the road battle at Kent State by scoring both of App State's goals Friday. App State struck first Friday courtesy of Smart's first goal with 11:47 left to play in the second quarter. With Smart's goal, the Mountaineers have now scored first in six of eight contests this spring season. Kent State would answer early in the third quarter to knot the game up at one apiece, but Smart then shortly put the Black and Gold back out in front, 2-1, with her second goal of the day and her fifth of the season, which leads the team. After her performance this weekend, Smart is now just two goals away from tying a personal single-season career high.
Callie Quinn, Central Michigan
Forward, Senior, Stafford, Va. (Stafford)
Senior forward Callie Quinn sparked a Central Michigan road victory over Ohio on Saturday, helping the Chippewas earn a series split with the Bobcats. Quinn scored the game winner, finding the back of the net in the 43rd minute to lift CMU to its second MAC and fourth overall win of the season. Quinn ranks second on the team with 2 goals, both game winners.
Jillian Shive, Ohio
MF, Senior, Lebanon, Ohio / Ursuline Academy
Senior midfielder Jillian Shive led the Bobcats offensively this weekend. Shive scored three goals for the Bobcats, now giving her four on the season. Shive recorded 11 shots, with nine on goal and registered six points in the Bobcats' weekend. She registered a .818 shots on goal percentage. On March 26 against CMU, Shive scored the Bobcats' first goal of the game in the seventh minutes off a pass from Sienna Sakich. Then in the 53rd minute, Shive scored again, this time unassisted to help seal Ohio's 301 win. Shive added another goal on Saturday, scoring in the 25th minute.
Rachel Pereira, Ball State
Defender, Redshirt Senior, HOWICK, SOUTH AFRICA
Rachel scored her second goal of the year to break the 0-0 battle with Longwood in the 3rd quarter on Saturday. Ball State fell in the first game and rallied to finish the weekend with a victory. Rachel’s goal proved to be the game-winner in a back-and-forth match. It was just enough to hold Longwood at bay.
Katie Maxim, Central Michigan
Goalkeeper, Freshman, St. Louis, Mo. (St. Joseph's Academy)
Freshman goalkeeper Katie Maxim recorded 8 saves in each game of Central Michigan's road series against Ohio. The highlight of the weekend for Maxim was Saturday when she backstopped a CMU defense that surrendered just 1 goal in a 2-1 win. Her 8 saves kept the Bobcat offense at bay, allowing the Chippewas to come from behind and secure their second MAC win of the season. Maxim has played every minute in goal this season, totaling 44 saves and compiling a .677 save percentage.
Annette Jarosz, App State
Defense, Senior, Elkridge, Maryland (HOWARD)
Annette Jarosz's backline presence kept the Mountaineers within striking distance all weekend long in two one-goal losses at the Golden Flashes of Kent State, who were picked to finish second in the 2021 MAC Preseason Poll. On Saturday, Jarosz helped to limit a one-loss Kent State offensive power by holding them to single-digit shot attempts and just four shots on goal. Entering the series with App State, Kent State had previously outscored its last three opponent 17-1. The Mountaineers also played with an empty net for remaining five minutes of play Saturday.
Azure Fernsler, Kent State University
Goalkeeper, Senior, Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania (Wilson)
Senior goalkeeper Azure Fernsler had a dominate performance in Kent State’s second game against Appalachian State this past weekend. In a low scoring affair where neither team could generate a lot of offense, Fernsler demonstrated that she can be counted on in goal. She secured her third shutout of the season by saving all three shots she faced helping the Flashes close out the Mountaineers for a 1-0 win. Fernsler finished the weekend securing two more victories for Kent State and adding 5 saves to her total on 14 shots faced (7 on goal) and four penalty corners.
