Oct. 25, 2010

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Division Winners Utah Valley and South Carolina State have claimed the latest Great West Conference Soccer Player of the Week accolades. Utah Valley's Nicole Archibald Spencer and South Carolina State's Brooke Ehinger share the Offensive Player of the Week, while Utah Valley's Lauren Sack captures Defensive Player of the Week honors. The conference office announced the awards Monday.

Spencer, a sophomore from Smithfield, Utah, helped Utah Valley knock off three teams last week - two conference teams - while notching two goals and two assists for six points for the week. The forward scored a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win over North Dakota State then tallied the game winning goal in a 1-0 win over North Dakota to help the Wolverines clinch the GWC West Division. Spencer leads the team with eight goals in 2010.

Ehinger, a senior from Long Beach, Calif., scored two goals - including the game-winner - in a 3-0 victory over conference foe Howard this past week. The forward has seven goals and 20 points on the season for SCSU which has clinched the East Division.

Sack earns defensive honors with three consecutive shutouts (two solo, one team shutout) last week. The goalkeeper from Reno, Nev. recorded 12 saves total on the week and lowered her goals-against-average to 0.25 in Great West Conference play. The freshman also posted an assist on the game-winning goal against North Dakota.

Others nominated were Retha Koefield (MF) of Howard, Brandi Hart (F) and Arielle Rodriguez (D) of Houston Baptist, Gechi Ukaegbu (MF) and Sadie Mele (GK) of NJIT and Danielle Murphy (GK) of South Carolina State.

By clinching the Divisions, Utah Valley and South Carolina State will be the top seeds at the 2010 Great West Conference Soccer Championships, November 5-8, at Houston, Texas.