No. 1 Notre Dame Lands a Pair on Big East Women's Soccer Weekly Awards

By Notre Dame Athletics
Posted Monday, September 29, 2008

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – No. 1/1 Notre Dame (10-0-0, 3-0-0 BIG EAST) had a pair of women’s soccer players highlight the sixth week of BIG EAST weekly honors as senior forward Kerri Hanks was named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week and forward Melissa Henderson was named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Week. West Virginia senior Kelsey Fowler was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week while USF junior Mallori Lofton-Malachi was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week.

Hanks earns her first BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honor of the season following a six-point performance in a 2-0-0 week for the Irish. Hanks scored two goals in a 4-1 win against Louisville on Sept. 26 and scored one goal in a 6-0 win at Cincinnati on Sept. 28. The senior, who has scored a goal in each of her last four games, has earned BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honors five times in her career.

Henderson totaled six points on three goals last week in a 2-0-0 week for the Irish. She recorded a hat trick at Cincinnati on Sept. 28. She scored all three goals in just 46 minutes off the bench. Henderson has totaled 16 points on the year, including eight goals, ranking third in the league.

Fowler becomes the fourth straight WVU player to earn BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honors following a 1-0-1 week for the Mountaineers. She anchored a WVU backline that did not allow a goal in two games. Folwer and the Mountaineers held St. John’s to just two shots on goal in 110 minutes of play in a 0-0 tie on Sept. 25. WVU also held Syracuse scoreless in an 8-0 win on Sept. 28. The Mountaineers have posted eight shutouts this year. This is Fowler’s first BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Lofton-Malachi earns BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week honors following a pair of shutouts in which she totaled 17 saves and helped the Bulls to a 1-0-1 record. The junior recorded 200 scoreless minutes last week, including a career-high 11 saves in a 0-0 tie at Connecticut on Sept. 25. She also had six saves in a 2-0 shutout against Providence on Sept. 28. Lofton-Malachi is in the midst of a scoreless streak spanning 308:02.This is her first BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week award.

BIG EAST WEEKLY HONOR ROLL

Jackie DesJardin, Georgetown , So., GK

Carrie Dew, Notre Dame, Sr., D

Deana Everrett, West Virginia, Sr., F

Katie Miller, Marquette, Jr., D

Nina Montero, Rutgers , Sr., D

QUICK KICKS

NOTRE DAME THE ONLY 1 – Beginning the year 10-0-0 (3-0-0 BIG EAST), Notre Dame is the only remaining undefeated and untied Division I women’s soccer program in the nation. Having defeated four ranked opponents this season, the Irish are truly making it a team effort by having a school-record-tying 20 different players register at least one point. In addition, the Irish have had 15 different goal-scorers, second-most in school history.
On the defensive side, Notre Dame has tallied seven shutouts this year and allowed just three goals on the season.