Monday, October 27, 2014

PORTLAND, Ore. - Haley McFarlane of Montana State Billings, who had her team's game-winning goal Thursday and also led her team to a pair of shutout victories, has been selected the GNAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week.

She was one of 15 athletes to earn the GNAC Weekly Player of the Week award.

Here is a recap of this week's honorees along with a list of honorable mention selections:

Women’s Soccer

Offense -  Mackenzie Nolte, Central Washington (M, 5-7, Fr., Marysville, WA - Marysville-Pilchuck) scored two goals in a four-point weekend for the Wildcats. Nolte scored the opening goal in the first half against Simon Fraser and later put-in the game-winner in the 2-1 victory.

Defense - Haley McFarlane, Montana State Billings (D, 5-7, So., Colorado Springs, CO – Cheyenne Mountain) was strong on the back line in two shutout victories and scored the game-winning goal in Thursday’s 2-0 win against Saint Martin’s. “She was very solid in the back for us against Saint Martin’s and helped hold the Saints to just two shot attempts and only one on goal,” head coach Wojtek Krakowiak said. “In Saturday's match she must have won close to 25 headers. She just seems to be everywhere on the defensive end for us. She is one of the main reasons we have had three straight shutouts and seven total this season."

Honorable Mention - Dana Lubieniecki, Montana State Billings (M, 5-3, So., Lakewood, CO – Bear Creek); Lexi Fesenbek, Northwest Nazarene (F, 5-4, Jr., Olympia, WA - Olympia); Makena Dandley, Northwest Nazarene (D, 5-9, Fr., Placentia, CA – Brea Olinda); Kim Cooper, Western Washington (M, 5-1, Sr., Bellingham, WA - Bellingham).

Men’s Soccer

Offense -  Stephen MacDonald, Seattle Pacific (F, 6-2, So., Phoenix, AZ – O’Connor) amassed four goals including a hat trick as the third-ranked Falcons stayed undefeated with a pair of GNAC home victories.  The sophomore forward netted two quick scores in the opening 2:39 and added a 49th minute goal to lead SPU to a 6-0 triumph over South Dakota School of Mines Thursday.  That was the first three-goal game by a SPU player since 2011.  MacDonald also tallied the lone goal in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over U-Mary that stretched SPU’s school-record win streak to 13 games.  He leads the Falcons on the season in scoring with 24 points (9 goals, 6 assists).

Defense -  Juan Perez, Northwest Nazarene (D, 6-0, Sr., Los Angeles, CA - Gardena) led a Crusader defense that only allowed one goal in two matches. Perez helped hold one of the conference’s best offenses to one goal in a 1-0 loss to Simon Fraser  and blocked a shot in a 2-0  victory over Western Washington.

Honorable Mention -  Christoffer Nogueira, Mary (F, 5-9, Fr., Kungsbacka, Sweden - Elof Lindälvs Gymnasium); Julio Castillo, Northwest Nazarene (M, 5-7, Jr., Wilmington, CA – Chula Vista); Jovan Blagojevic, Simon Fraser (M, 6-0, Sr., Coquitlam, BC – Centennial Secondary); Tody Tolo, Saint Martin’s (D, 6-1, Sr., Tukwila, WA - Foster).;

Volleyball

Offense – Rachel Roeder, Western Washington (OH, 6-1, Jr., Sammamish, WA - Issaquah) and Andrea Terpstra, Northwest Nazarene (MB, 6-4, Jr., Ripon, CA – Ripon Christian) … Roeder had 38 kills and five blocks and hit for a .387 percentage in wins over Montana State Billings and Seattle Pacific as the 10^th ranked Vikings ran their win streak to a GNAC-best seven matches.  Roeder had 38 kills in 75 swings, committing just nine errors …  Terpstra had a .523 hitting percentage (27-4-44), nearly twice the team average of .272, as the Crusaders moved into sole possession of first place with wins at Alaska and Alaska Anchorage, their fifth and sixth in a row. She was particularly effective in NNU’s win at UAA, producing a team-high 15 kills and a .522 percentage. Terpstra, who ranks second in GNAC history in blocks per set (1.23) had five rejections.

Defense – Taylor Roberts, Northwest Nazarene (L, 5-5, Sr., Nampa, ID) equaled a GNAC season-high (for three-set matches) with 29 digs as the Crusaders held Alaska Anchorage to a .133 hitting percentage, 75 points below its season average.  In two matches in Alaska, Roberts had 47 digs, seven assists and one service ace.

Honorable Mention - Alisha Bettinson, Western Oregon (OH, 5-11, Fr., Richland, WA);  Christie Colasurdo, Western Oregon (OH, 5-11, So., Olympia, WA); Samantha Hutchinson, Western Washington (L, 5-7, Sr., University Place, WA - Curtis);  Madeline Hait, Simon Fraser (MB, 5-11, Sr., Burnaby, BC - Burnaby Central).

Football

Offense – Marcus Sanchez, South Dakota Mines (WR, 6-2, 198, Jr., Anaheim, CA - Canyon) and Paul Revis, Western Oregon (WR, 5-9, 165, Fr., Scappoose, OR) … Sanchez gained 200 yards on 12 catches, both GNAC season highs, as the Hardrockers gained 606 yards in a 52-30 loss to GNAC league-leader Azusa Pacific..  Sanchez’s receiving total, which is the eighth highest single-game total in GNAC history, included touchdowns catches of 23 and 20 in the final minute of the second quarter.  Revis, who ranks third in Division II in all-purpose yards averaging 205.1 yards per game, caught four passes for 129 yards including two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Wolves rallied for a 27-16 win over Simon Fraser.  Revis’ 29-yard TD catch with 7:46 left gave WOU the lead and his 54-yard reception four minutes later iced it. 

Defense – Robert Metz, Dixie State (DB, 6-4, 210. Jr., Tucson, AZ – Canyon Del Oro) had 15 tackles as the Red Storm limited Menlo to 257 yards in a 28-6 home win.  Metz had 11 solo tackles and four assists, including one that resulted in a loss.  

Special Teams – Tyree Davis, Azusa Pacific (KR/PR, 5-11, 172, So., Spring Valley, CA) gained 184 yards on just four touches, returning three kickoffs for 119 yards and one punt for a 65-yard first-quarter touchdown.  His third kickoff return, which he brought back 53 yards, set up a touchdown after the Hardrockers had cut APU’s lead in the fourth quarter to just 11 points.

Honorable Mention – Danny Hankins, Western Oregon (DB, 5-11, 170, So., Portland, OR – Grant); Robert Webber, Humboldt State (QB, 5-9, 185, Fr., Corona, CA – Corona Centennial); Alex Markarian, Humboldt State (DE, 6-4, 275, Sr., Chino Hills, CA – Reuben Ayala); Terrell Watson, Azusa Pacific (RB, 6-2, 240, Sr., Oxnard, CA); Na’im Colbert, Azusa Pacific (LB, 6-0, 235, Jr., Chino, CA).

Cross Country

Men – Cody McCranie, Western Washington (So., Auburn, WA) led his team to a perfect team score of 15 in winning the Viking Cross Country Open at Ferndale in a 7,000-meter time of 22:33.3.  In his three previous races this fall, he was the 4th, 7th and 12th Viking to cross the finish line. 

Women – Connie Morgan, Central Washington (Sr., Hoquiam, WA) led a 1-2 Wildcat finish at Ferndale covering the 5,000-meter course in a time of 18:43.1, one-tenth of a second ahead of teammate Dani Eggleston.

Men’s Golf

John Mlikotic, Simon Fraser (Sr., Kelowna, BC) tied for seventh to lead the Clan to a sixth-place team finish in the Otter Invitational at Monterey, Calif.  Mlikotic finished with an eight-over par total of 224, shooting rounds of 75, 73 and 76 on the par-72, 6,869 Bayonet Golf Club layout.  He currently ranks ninth in the GNAC in scoring with a 73.1 average after finishing 12th last season with a 75.8 average.

Women’s Golf

Jenn Paul, Western Washington (Fr., Bellingham, WA) finished the GNAC’s fall season with the  lowest scoring average (74.0) after shooting rounds of 70 and 78 at the Foxtail Golf Club in Rohnert Park, Calif.    Paul tied for third on the par-72, 5,812 yard layout leading the Vikings to a second-place team finish in the Sonoma State Fall Preview.