Connecticut and Old Dominion Earn #BIGEASTfh Weekly Awards
NEW YORK – Following a record-setting weekend for No. 1 Connecticut, senior forward Charlotte Veitner has been named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week for the fourth time in five weeks, while Cameran Nery-Strickland picks up her first career Defensive Player of the Week honor.
BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week
Charlotte Veitner, Connecticut, Sr., F
At the forefront of a record setting afternoon, the senior forward knocked in three goals and tallied four assists as UConn set a program high in goals scored, defeating Villanova 12-0 on Friday. Already leading 3-0 in the opening 15 minutes, UConn’s fourth goal was of great significance, as the goal moved Veitner into the top spot of the UConn record book, passing Lauren Henderson’s 97 career goals. The forward also set a BIG EAST record, alongside her classmate Casey Umstead, in both points scored (10) and assists tallied (4) in a single conference tilt. Two days later, on the road against No. 14 Princeton, Veitner continued to be an offensive juggernaut for the Huskies as she tallied her fourth hat-trick of the season and second of the weekend. UConn’s attack, led by Veitner, sealed its seventh top-20 victory of the season, 5-3. Overall, the senior tallied 17 points (6g, 5a) on the weekend giving her a conference leading 49 points (19g, 11a) in 12 games. And after surpassing the program record of 97 goals, Veitner now holds UConn’s top spot in points (267), goals (103) and assists (61).
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week
Cameran Nery-Strickland, Old Dominion, Fr., D
Taking on conference foe, Temple, the freshman defender helped Old Dominion post its first shutout of the season. Holding the Owls to only three shots and three penalty corners, the Monarchs held the advantage in both categories, 15-3 and 14-3, respectively. Nery-Strickland also helped out on the attack, setting up the Monarch’s first two tallies, off corners. The defender connected with Rebecca Birch in the first period, before finding Carie Sensenig early in the second half to double the Monarch’s lead. With the 4-0 shutout victory, Old Dominion improved to 2-2 in BIG EAST play.
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Margot van Hecking Colenbrander, Connecticut, Fr., D
In a pair of victories, the freshman defender continued to make plays on both sides of the field, tallying 10 points (4g, 2a) on the weekend. Following the opening goal by Umstead, the freshman got in on the action, tallying back-to-back goals within minutes of each other. On defense, van Hecking Colenbrander and her teammates outshot Villanova, 34-3, and held the edge in penalty corners, 16-3, with six of the Huskies’ shots coming off the stick of the freshman. Overall, the defender tallied her first career hat trick as the Huskies defeated the Wildcats, 12-0. Against No. 14 Princeton, van Hecking Colenbrander picked up the matches’ first tally at 1:58, as the Huskies outlasted the Tigers, 5-3.
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Karlie Heistand, Connecticut, Sr., MF
Playing two complete games for the Huskies, the senior midfielder was part of a defense that shutout Villanova in a record setting afternoon, 12-0. Outshooting the Wildcats, 34-3, UConn improved to 13-0 on the season and 7-0 against top-20 competition, while picking up its seventh shutout of the season.
Agueda Moroni, Liberty, So., MF
Moroni tallied a goal and an assist in a pair of games last week, scoring a goal against Georgetown in the 13th minute, giving Liberty a 2-0 lead in an eventual 3-0 win. On the road against No. 17 Maryland, the sophomore notched an assist on Jill Bolton’s goal.
Mikayla Michals, Providence, So., MF/F
The sophomore converted a penalty stroke opportunity in the 46th minute that would hold up as the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory over Quinnipiac. It marked Michals’ fourth goal of the season and first score on a stroke in her collegiate career.
Lauren Belskie, Quinnipiac, Sr., D
The senior tallied a pair of goals over the weekend, with her first being the Bobcats lone goal of the match, in a 2-1 loss to Providence. Two days later, Quinnipiac came back from two goals down to defeat Siena 3-2 on Senior Day, with Belskie knocking in the game-winner.
Sarah Keer, Temple, R-Sr., F
In the Owls second straight non-conference victory, Keer tallied the overtime game-winner on a penalty stroke to lift Temple to a 3-2 victory.