Raymond, Lyons, Sestak Earn Soccer Players of the Week Awards
Weekly Soccer Notes
FRISCO, Texas – Stephen F. Austin senior forward Chelsea Raymond was named Southland Conference Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday. McNeese State took two of three Player of the Week honors as senior midfielder Haley Lyons earned her second defensive player of the week awards of the season and junior Lauren Sestak earned her goalkeeper player of the week honors.
Offensive Player of the Week –Chelsea Raymond, Stephen F. Austin
Senior Chelsea Raymond recorded her first multi-goal match of the season, scoring two goals in Stephen F. Austin’s 3-1 win at Nicholls, as the Ladyjacks closed out their road schedule 6-1-1 and undefeated in Southland Conference play. Raymond has 48 goals and 292 shots in her career, both school records. The native of Irving, Texas (MacArthur HS), assisted on SFA’s third goal against the Colonels, recording the 15th assist of her career to move into a three-way tie for fourth place all-time in program history.
Honorable Mention: Michelle Petrarca, McNeese State; Cassandra Briscoe, Northwestern State; Yvette Franko, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Madison Bible, Sam Houston State; Jazma Latu, UIW; Cheyenne Maxwell, Southeastern Louisiana.
Defensive Player of the Week – Haley Lyons, McNeese State
Haley Lyons assisted on McNeese State’s dramatic overtime game-winner for the Cowgirls this past weekend, while also anchoring a backline that shutout its fifth opponent of the season. Lyons led junior Michelle Petrarca towards goal in overtime of Friday’s 1-0 win over Lamar, as Petrarca scored in the 97
th minute. This marks the second time this season.
Honorable Mention: Caitlyn Schwartz, Sam Houston State; Jacey Love, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; Lindsay Matlock, Houston Baptist; Christie Hinojosa, Stephen F. Austin; Ashley Crabbe, UIW.
Goalkeeper of the Week – Lauren Sestak, McNeese State
Lauren Sestak put up another impressive performance in goal for McNeese State, stopping six shots in 97 minutes to earn her second shutout of the season and help lift the Cowgirls to a crucial 1-0 overtime victory against Lamar on Friday. The junior goalkeeper made one save in the first 45 minutes, before withstanding a barrage of shots by Lamar in the second half, as she collected five saves. With the clean sheet, the Spring, Texas native is now 3-2-0 in her first five starts of the season and boasts a 0.76 GAA and .818 save percentage with 18 saves. Her goals against average (0.76) is good for third among Southland goalkeepers.
Honorable Mention: Morgan Glick, Stephen F. Austin; Patty Walrath, Houston Baptist; Bailey Fontenot, Lamar; Heather Kowalik, UIW; Kylie Hamleton, Sam Houston State,
Each school’s sports information director nominates and votes for the players of the week, though is not permitted to vote for his or her own player. To receive honorable mention, a student-athlete must receive votes from 25 percent of the Southland sports information directors.