OGDEN, Utah (September 29, 2015) – It’s a Sacramento State sweep as two Hornets were named this week’s Big Sky Conference soccer Players of the Week. Hornet forward, Kayla Collins, picked up this week’s offensive honor while defender Regan Smithers picked up this week’s defensive Player of the Week award.
Smithers, a junior from Modesto, Calif., anchored a Hornet defense that allowed just one goal in two games. On Friday, the Hornets topped defending Big Sky tournament champion, Northern Arizona, 1-0 in overtime. Smithers played all 98 minutes in the match and helped the Hornets hold the highest-scoring team in the Big Sky to just four shots on frame and no goals.
The junior followed with a strong performance Sunday in the Hornets’ 4-1 win over Southern Utah. The Hornet defense held the Thunderbirds to just four shots on goal and Smithers showed off her offensive skill as she finished a corner kick in the 81
st minute for her first career goal. This is Smithers’ first Player of the Week award.
Collins, a sophomore from Newcastle, Calif., had two goals and an assist in the Hornets’ two wins over the weekend. On Friday, Collins scored the ‘golden goal’ when she finished from the top of the box in the 98th minute.
She continued her strong play with a goal and an assist in a 4-1 win over Southern Utah on Sunday. She assisted on the first goal of the game, sending a corner kick into the box for a header goal from Amanda Mielke in the 2nd minute, then scored in the 53rd minute on a strike to the upper-90 from just atop the box. In her first season at Sacramento State Collins leads the team with four goals and two assists. This is the sophomore’s first Big Sky weekly honor.
Others Nominated
Offense: Jenny Chavez – Eastern Washington; Brooke Braden – Northern Colorado; Aurora Bodenhamer – Portland State; Kaylee Kebba – North Dakota; Kavita Battan - Idaho
Defense: Adrienne Jordan – Northern Colorado; Olivia Swenson – North Dakota; Amanda Poertner - Idaho