Valdespino, Bricker and Sestak Named Soccer Players of the Week
Southland Soccer Weekly Notes (PDF)
FRISCO, Texas – Nicholls senior forward Spencer Valdespino and McNeese State senior defender Sarah Bricker and senior goalkeeper Lauren Sestak were named the Southland Conference Women’s Soccer Players of the Week presented by UniversalCoin.com, the league announced Tuesday. Valdespino earned offensive honors while Bricker received defensive accolades and Sestak was tabbed top goalkeeper of the week.
Offensive Player of the Week – Spencer Valdespino, Nicholls
Preseason All-Southland First Team selection Spencer Valdespino scored both goals for Nicholls in a double-overtime tie against Southern Miss on Friday. She scored a third goal in a 2-0 win over Southern on Sunday. Valdespino’s goal against Southern was the 34th of her career at Nicholls, setting the school record for career goals. Valdespino leads the Southland in shots (15), shots per game (five), goals per game (one), game-winning goals (one), and is third in goals (three), points (six) and points per game (two).
Honorable Mention: Kayleigh Phillips, Northwestern State; Jordan Mulnix, Lamar; Sabriah Spencer, Houston Baptist; Chele Naudin, Central Arkansas
Defensive Player of the Week – Sarah Bricker, McNeese State
Senior defender Sarah Bricker anchored a defensive effort that produced a pair of shutouts - a 5-0 win against Prairie View and a 1-0 victory at Texas State. The Cowgirl defense surrendered three goals across the three contests at McNeese State fell to Tulsa. She added the game-winning goal against Texas State and played all 270 possible minutes over the weekend.
Honorable Mention: Juliana Ocampo, Lamar; Patry Carrion, Northwestern State; Stacia Carroll, Central Arkansas; Kristi O’Brien.
Goalkeeper of the Week – Lauren Sestak, McNeese State
Senior goalkeeper Sestak recorded 14 saves in posting a 2-1 record with a .082 goals-against average and was instrumental in two consecutive shutouts. She made seven saves against Texas State to help McNeese post its third straight victory to begin the year and recorded six saves against a highly potent Tulsa offense on Sunday. Sestak continues to lead the conference in goals against average (0.88) and save percentage (.880). This marks the second week Sestak has received goalkeeper of the week honors.
Honorable Mention: Brooke Bourbonais, Northwestern State; Kelsey Dombrowski, Abilene Christian; Lauren Lovejoy, Lamar.
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.