Ostoich, Umstead, Masiello Earn Season’s First #BIGEASTfh Awards
NEW YORK – No.4 Connecticut, Providence and Georgetown lead the BIG EAST with perfect starts in 2017’s opening weekend.
BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week
Alexa Ostoich, Old Dominion, So., F
Entering the season with only one career goal, Ostoich tied for the lead in BIG EAST scoring last week, tallying two goals and a pair of assists. Against No. 7 Penn State, Ostoich led a strong first half attack, scoring in the 23rd minute, as Old Dominion entered the break leading 2-0. Although the lead was not enough as Penn State scored three goals in the final 25 minutes to earn the victory. In Sunday’s game against No. 21 American, Ostoich made her mark on three of the Monarchs four goals as they defeated the nationally ranked Eagles, 4-2. In the third minute, the sophomore found her teammate Erin Huffman who gave the Monarchs the early 1-0 lead. With the game even at 1-1, Ostoich once again connected with Huffman to jump back in front, 2-1. Following a third goal after halftime, Ostoich sealed the game in the 46th minute when she hit the back post, scoring her second goal of the season.
BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week
Casey Umstead, Connecticut, Sr., D
Umstead began her senior campaign by anchoring the Huskies’ defense in a pair of shutout victories over No. 13 Stanford and No. 14 Northwestern. Limiting action against UConn’s goalkeeper, the defender helped the Huskies outshoot Stanford, 22-4, and Northwestern, 25-7. Offensively, Umstead tallied the game-winner against Stanford and added a goal and an assist against the Wildcats.
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Cami Osborne, Georgetown, Fr., MF
Leading all scorers with three goals and six points, the freshman made the most of her opportunities finding the back of the net on all three of her shots. On Friday, Osborne managed to get the ball past Davidson keeper Bean Rodriguez to tie the game at one. Then on Sunday, she talied two more goals as the Hoyas defeated Appalachian State, 7-0.
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
Allyson Parker, Providence, So., F
Parker scored the game-winning goal with 8:33 left in regulation to lift Providence to a 1-0 victory over No. 24 Maine in the Friars only game of the weekend. It marked Parker’s first career goal.
Amanda Collins, UConn, Jr., MF
The junior put away two goals and an assist against No. 14 Northwestern as the Huskies outscored their opponents, 9-0, on the weekend.
Margot van Hecking Colenbrander, UConn, Fr., D
In her collegiate debut, Hecking Colenbrander sealed the 2-0 victory over No. 13 Stanford, finding the back of the net in the 57th minute. In a strong defensive effort, the freshman aided the Huskies who outshot their opponents 47-11 in a pair of shutout victories against top-15 opponents. Overall, the freshman scored a pair of goals in her opening weekend.
Chloe Verwiel, Georgetown, Jr., GK
In goal for the Hoyas, the junior tallied her first career shutout Sunday against Appalachian State. Earning a pair of victories in goal, Verwiel made 11 saves and finished the weekend with a .917 save percentage.
Megan Guilbert, Providence, Sr., GK
Guilbert earned her first career shutout versus a nationally-ranked opponent as she back-stopped the Friars’ to a 1-0 win over No. 24 Maine in the Friars’ only game last week. Guilbert collected four saves in the victory, which avenged a 7-1 loss at the hands of the Black Bears a season ago.