Long Beach State junior Nadia Link unleashed a full scoring arsenal and UC Riverside freshman Jessica Olafsen was stingy between the pipes as the two were selected Big West Women's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively.

Link Tallies Four Goals and Assist in Two Long Beach State Wins

Nadia Link (Rowland Heights, Calif./Walnut HS) exploded for four goals in a pair of wins to earn the Long Beach State junior the Big West Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week award.

Link played a role in five of her team’s six goals as the 49ers blew past Princeton (3-1) and Hawai’i (3-0) at home.  She increased her season totals to a Big West leading six goals and 15 points.

The forward scored twice against the Tigers on Friday, including the game-winning goal less than five minutes into the second half.  She tallied her two scores on just three shots.  In Sunday’s triumph against Hawai’i, she got the assist on LBSU’s first goal, then followed up with a pair of scores on a career-high six shot attempts.  Link has scored at least one goal in four straight matches and has recorded at least one point in the last five.

Others nominated: Lisa Kemp (UC Davis); Liz Hagashino (Pacific)

Standout Performances Earn Olafsen Defensive POW Honors

UC Riverside freshman Jessica Olafsen (San Diego, Calif./Serra HS) withstood a busy effort by the opposition to make a total of 17 saves, leading the Highlanders to a 1-1 split and securing Big West Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honors.

Olafsen faced 10 shots on goal and saved nine of them in a tough 1-0 loss to Michigan on Friday.  The only goal she allowed was on a penalty kick in the 69th minute.  Olafsen recorded her second shutout of the season in Sunday’s 2-0 victory against Southern Utah.  She stopped eight Thunderbird shots and lowered her season goals against average to a league-low 0.48.

Others nominated: Kaitlyn Gustaves (Long Beach State); Brittni Beeman (Pacific)