Sept. 13, 2010
Center Valley, Pa. -- The Patriot League announced its weekly awards for Sept. 7-12 in field hockey, men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball and cross country Monday.
Bucknell field hockey scored two shutouts last week, and as a result, senior forward Kelly Bruvik was named the Offensive Player of the Week and junior Sarah Zargarpour was selected as the Goalkeeper of the Week. Lafayette's Meghan Cicchi was named the Defensive Player of the Week and American's Constanza Palma won the Rookie of the Week award.
In men's soccer, two Navy players were honored after the Mids blanked the Northeast Region's No. 8 team UMBC 2-0. Martin Sanchez was named the Defensive Player of the Week and Patrick Sopko was named the Rookie of the Week. Holy Cross' Evan Polanik posted two shutouts to be named the Goalkeeper of the Week and Bucknell's Brendan Burgdorf netted the game-winner against No. 15 Penn State to win the Offensive Player of the Week.
Kim An's great rookie season for Army women soccer continued with her two goals over the weekend, earning her the Rookie of the Week award. Teammates Monica Lee (Goalkeeper of the Week) and Katie Wacker (Defensive Player) also were honored. Lehigh's Glynn Fitzer was named the Offensive Player of the Week.
Junior Jess Palacio and freshman Rachael Honrath won their second straight weekly award as Navy claimed three out of four weekly cross country awards. Navy's Andrew Hanko was named the Male Runner of the Week, while Holy Cross' Zach Maddigan was selected as the Male Rookie of the Week.
Army's Ariana Mankus nabbed her first weekly women's volleyball award after winning the Rookie of the Year award in 2009. Mankus was named the Player of the Week and Colgate's Kaylee Fifer was named the Rookie of the Week.
Patriot League Field Hockey Weekly Awards
Offensive Player of the Week
KELLY BRUVIK, BUCKNELL Sr., F, Skillman, N.J.
Bruvik helped lead Bucknell to its first two victories of the season by scoring a goal against both Cornell and Towson over the weekend. She tallied in the Bison's 3-0 victory over Cornell on Saturday, and scored a goal with an assist in a 4-0 triumph over Towson Sunday. Bruvik was the only player to score in both games and led the way with the five points and two goals for the weekend. Bruvik earns her second career Offensive Player of the Week award, and first this season.
Defensive Player of the Week
MEGHAN CICCHI, LAFAYETTE Sr., D/M, Thousand Oaks, Calif.
Cicchi earns the eighth Defensive Player of the Week award of her career, taking sole possession of a record she had shared with two other players. She had strong performances at both ends of the field to lead Lafayette to victories over Temple and Longwood over the weekend. She recorded an assist as Lafayette knocked off previously unbeaten Temple, 2-1, in double overtime on Friday, and scored the only goal of the game on a second-half penalty corner in the Leopards' 1-0 victory over Longwood. Cicchi led a defense that allowed only eight shots in the two games, with just two given up in the shutout over Longwood.
Goalkeeper of the Week
SARAH ZARGARPOUR, BUCKNELL Jr., GK, North Vancouver, Canada
Zargarpour stopped all 10 shots she faced in two outstanding efforts over the weekend to earn shutout victories over both Cornell and Towson. She recorded six saves in a 3-0 win over Cornell on Saturday, and stopped all four shots in a 4-0 victory over Towson on Sunday. Zargarpour played all 70 minutes of both contests and recorded back-to-back shutouts for the first time in her career. She earns her first Goalkeeper of the Week award.
Rookie of the Week
CONSTANZA PALMA, AMERICAN Fr., M, Santiago, Chile
Palma tallied the game-winning goal in No. 20 American's 5-2 win over New Hampshire on Sunday and provided support to a strong defensive effort in a pair of victories over the weekend, as the Eagles also beat Rutgers, 3-1. She scored her first collegiate goal off a penalty corner to give the Eagles a 3-1 lead in their 5-2 win Sunday. Palma receives Rookie of the Week honors for the first time.
Honorable Mentions
NATALIE ELLENBERGER, AMERICAN Jr., D
Ellenberger tallied a goal and an assist in a 3-1 win over Rutgers on Saturday, and added an assist in a 5-2 victory over New Hampshire Sunday.
TAYLOR SIEGRIST, BUCKNELL So., D
Siegrist had an assist in a 3-0 win over Cornell on Saturday and goal in a 4-0 triumph over Towson Sunday while leading a strong defensive effort in the pair of shutouts.
KELSEY ANDERSEN, LAFAYETTE Sr., GK
Andersen allowed just one goal on eight shots in two Lafayette victories, leading the Leopards past previously undefeated Temple, 2-1, in double overtime Friday and shutting out Longwood 1-0 Saturday.
Patriot League Men's Soccer Weekly Awards
BRINE Offensive Player of the Week
BRENDAN BURGDORF, BUCKNELL So., F, Westfield, N.J.
Burgdorf scored the game-winning goal in the 77th minute of Bucknell's 2-1 victory over No. 15 Penn State on Friday night, dealing the Nittany Lions their first home loss since September 2008. He added another tally on Sunday as the Bison lost a 2-1 decision to 11th-ranked Ohio State as Bucknell went 1-1 at the Penn State Classic. For the week, Burgdorf totaled two goals and four points and was named to the All-Tournament Team.
BRINE Defensive Player of the Week
MARTIN SANCHEZ, NAVY Fr., D, Salisbury, Md.
Sanchez helped anchor the Mids defense that held UMBC, ranked eighth in the NSCAA's Northeast region, to zero goals and four shots on goal as Navy pitched the shutout. UMBC boasted the nation's top two returning scorers from a year ago and both were held off the score sheet. Sanchez and his defensive teammates have held opponents without a goal for 256 consecutive minutes.
BRINE Goalkeeper of the Week
EVAN POLANIK, HOLY CROSS So., GK, Holliston, Mass.
Polanik earned the Goalkeeping MVP Award as the Crusaders captured the Dartmouth Classic with a 1-0-1 record. He recorded two shutouts, blanking Stony Brook 3-0 on Friday and making a career-high 10 saves in a scoreless tie against San Diego. Polanik has played 380 minutes for Holy Cross this season while posting a 1.18 goals-against average.
BRINE Rookie of the Week
PATRICK SOPKO, NAVY Fr., F, Gloucester, Va.
Sopko earned his second straight Rookie of the Week award after netting the game-winning goal in Navy's 2-0 victory over UMBC on Saturday night. It is the first game-winner of his career, which extended his point-scoring streak to three games to start his collegiate career. He is tied for the Navy lead with seven points with fellow freshman Dale Arnold.
Honorable Mentions
AARON DUPERE, NAVY Fr., GK, Royal Palm Beach, Va.
Dupere made four saves in Navy's 2-0 blanking of UMBC, becoming the second Midshipmen freshman keeper to win his first three starts. The other was Doug Williams in 1991.
JONATHAN WERTH, HOLY CROSS Sr., F, University Park, Md.
Werth played a hand in all three of the Crusaders' goals in their 3-0 victory over Stony Brook on Friday, picking up the game-winning goal while assisting on the other two. He was named Offensive MVP of the Dartmouth Classic.
MATT SCHUBER, COLGATE Jr., F, Webster, N.Y.
Schuber assisted on the Raiders' first goal against Siena and tallied the game-winner in double overtime in their 2-1 victory over Siena.
JOE PULEO, LEHIGH Jr., F, Preston, Pa.
After Lehigh rallied from a 2-0 deficit against Princeton to tie the match, Puleo netted the game-winning goal in the 67th minute to secure a 3-2 win over the Tigers. Puleo also posted a goal in Lehigh's 2-1 loss to Towson.
Patriot League Women's Soccer Weekly Awards
BRINE Offensive Player of the Week
GLYNN FITZER, LEHIGH Sr., M, Naperville, Ill.
Fitzer scored two goals and added two assists for a six-point week for the Mountain Hawks. After posting an assist in Lehigh's 3-2 double-overtime loss to Dayton, she scored twice, including the eventual game-winner, and pitched in another helper in her team's 4-1 win over St. Joseph's. She is now tied for the team lead with eight points.
BRINE Defensive Player of the Week
KATIE WACKER, ARMY Fr., D, Carmel, Ind.
Wacker posted the final Black Knight goal in their 3-0 victory over Marist Friday in the team's opener of the Black Knight Classic. She headed up the Army defense that surrendered just four shots on goal to the Red Foxes and three to Vermont in the Black Knights' 3-0 win over the Catamounts. Wacker is one of two Army freshman defenders with a goal this season, with Molly McGuigan being the other.
BRINE Goalkeeper of the Week
MONICA LEE, ARMY Jr., GK, Crystal Beach, Fla.
Lee made four saves for the Black Knights in their 3-0 shutout of Marist Friday in the Black Knight Classic, with all four stops coming in the second half to preserve Army's lead. The loss was the only one suffered by the Red Foxes during the weekend, as they defeated Florida Gulf Coast Sunday. Lee has nine save and three blankings this season, giving her five career shutouts.
BRINE Rookie of the Week
KIM AN, ARMY Fr., M, Oak Ridge, N.J.
An becomes the first back-to-back Rookie of the Week since Christa Matlack of Bucknell did it in October 2007. She earned All-Tournament Team accolades at the Black Knight Classic with two goals, one each against Marist and Vermont. Her four-point weekend gives her a team-leading 11 points for the season. Her team-high five goals are the most by a freshman since the 2008 season.
Honorable Mentions
JILL DOZIER, LAFAYETTE So., F, Fallstown, Md.
Dozier scored twice, including the game-winner, in Lafayette's 2-0 win over Bryant Friday. Her four-point week gives her a team-best eight on the season.
SHELBY STAND, HOLY CROSS Sr., F, Douglas, Mass.
The senior scored both goals in the Crusaders' 2-1 win over Quinnipiac. She has points in four of five games this season.
ERRINGER HELBLING, ARMY Jr., F, Wayne, Pa.
Helbling's three-point performance at the Black Knight Classic earned her Tournament MVP honors.
KELSEY LEARNED, NAVY So., D, Auburn, Wash.
Learned helped preserve Navy's 5-0 shutout of Manhattan by contributing a defensive save against the Jaspers.
Patriot League Women's Volleyball Weekly Awards
Player of the Week
ARIANA MANKUS, ARMY So., OH, Lisle, Ill.
Mankus averaged 3.57 kills and 2.79 digs per set as the Black Knights went 2-2 on the week. Her best performance was her double-double (20 kills, 12 digs, .405 hitting percentage) in Army's 3-1 victory over UNC-Wilmington at the Butler Invitational. It was her fourth double-double and second 20-kill effort of the year.
Rookie of the Week
KAYLEE FIFER, COLGATE Fr., S, Lantana, Texas
Fifer tallied 96 assists as the Raiders went 2-2 during the Niagara/Canisius Invitational last weekend. After posting 34 helpers in losses to Canisius and Indiana, she tallied a career-high 37 and 25 against Robert Morris and Niagara, respectively, in a pair of 3-2 wins. She averaged six assists and 1.81 digs per contest. Her 12 digs against the Purple Eagles gave her a double-double along with her 25 assists in the come-from-behind 3-2 win.
Honorable Mentions
MEGAN LYNCH, HOLY CROSS So., OH, Mendham, N.J.
Lynch tallied three double-doubles on the week, including a pair of 21-kill performances. She earned All-Tournament Team honors at the Bryant Invitational, where the Crusaders went 1-2, including a five-set win over Boston College.
ERIN FORTNER, NAVY Fr., S/RSH, Villa Hills, Ky.
Fortner earned All-Tournament Team honors for the second straight week while being one of the Mids' most versatile performers at the Bryant Invitational. She posted a double-double (10k, 11a) against Manhattan. Against Boston College, she logged 22 assists, narrowly missing a triple-double (eight kills, nine digs).
Patriot League Cross Country Weekly Awards
ANDREW HANKO, NAVY Sr., Montville, N.J.
Hanko finished second out of 193 runners with a time of 25:18.5 at the Harry Groves Invitational, helping the Navy men to a third-place finish. This is Hanko's first weekly award for 2010 and fifth since 2009.
JESS PALACIO, NAVY Jr., Sun Valley, Nev.
Palacio led the Mids for the second straight week en route to her second Runner of the Week award. She finished sixth out of 179 runners at the Harry Groves Invitational with a time of 21:08.2.
ZACH MADDIGAN, HOLY CROSS Fr., Middleboro, Mass.
Maddigan was the top freshman and the second Crusader to cross the finish line, placing 29th at the Blue Devil Invitational Saturday with a time of 27:46.
RACHAEL HONRATH, NAVY Fr., Manasquan, N.J.
Honrath earned her second straight Rookie of the Week award, finishing 27th (22:07) for the Mids at the Harry Groves Invitational Saturday.
BRYCE LIVINGSTON, ARMY Sr., Tucson, Ariz.
Livingston led the Black Knights for the second straight week, finishing third (25:27.7) out of 40 runners in a 24-35 loss to Cornell. His finished the 8K course 0.10 seconds behind the second-place finisher.
CHRIS BERGAN, HOLY CROSS Sr., Shrewsbury, Mass.
Bergan led the Crusaders at the Blue Devil Invitational, finishing 15th (27:07).