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It was the biggest win of the season and, maybe, the biggest win in program history for 9th ranked Washington State soccer. Now, the team is being honor for their shutout win at #8 UCLA on Friday.
The team swept the weekly Pac-12 awards with junior Morgan Weaver earning conference offensive player of the week, junior Aaqila McLyn taking home the defensive award, and Rachel Thompson being named top netminder of the week. The team has now won a weekly conference honor five times, all by different players. It’s the first time in program history the team has swept the awards.
Weaver was the offensive hero for the Cougs Friday, scoring the lone goal in the 1-0 win over UCLA. She took just two shots in the game, but the one in the 61st minute on a counter attack ended up put WSU on top for good in Westwood in the upset win. It was Weaver’s sixth goal of the season, and she has put up game-winning goals in back to back games.
On defense, McLyn was crucial to keep the Bruins off the board. She helped shut down the potent UCLA offense and had a crucial defensive save early that helped preserve the scoreless draw, just her second defensive save of the season. She was also productive on the offensive side, assisting on Morgan’s game-winner with a perfect pass. It was her first assist of the season.
The most impressive performance of the win, though, might have been from the woman in the net. Thompson was making just her third career start at goalkeeper and led WSU to their second straight shutout over UCLA. The redshirt junior put up a career best nine saves in the win, the most for any Cougar keeper since 2015. The shutout was the fourth of the season for the Cougs, and the first of Thompson’s career.
The win helped propel WSU to 8-0-0 and put them in the top 10 for the first time ever. It also kept them as one of just two teams in all of Division I without a loss or a tie. They’ll look to keep this special season rolling Thursday night on Lower Soccer field when they welcome in a tough one-loss Oregon team. Kickoff set for 7 PM with coverage on the Pac-12 Network.
For more on this big win, check out Michael Preston’s interview with head coach Todd Shulenberger on this week’s edition of the CougCenter Hour.
Cougars Sweep Soccer's Pac-12 Player of the Week Awards - Washington State University
It was a clean sweep for WSU after a 1-0 shutout of UCLA Friday.
Football
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