A couple of San Diego natives in Cal Poly freshman Megan Abutin and UC Irvine senior Jordan Bruce led their teams to undefeated conference records as the Big West Women's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week.
Abutin Notches Brace In Road Win
Megan Abutin (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel HS) recorded the first multi-goal game of her career as the Cal Poly freshman garnered Big West Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week status.
The forward scored two goals to help the Mustangs to a 3-2 double overtime road win against Hawai‘i Sunday. She pivoted and lofted a ball over the keeper to the left side for her first goal in the 34th minute, then cashed in her second in the 47th minute on a header into the lower right portion of the net.
Abutin recorded her second and third goals of the year, becoming just the second Mustang on the squad to score more than a single goal. Teammate Elise Krieghoff has generated the bulk of the scoring with a nation's leading 16 goals.
Abutin also registered a shot on goal in Cal Poly's 1-0 win at Cal State Northridge Thursday, finishing the week with a 1.000 shots-on-goal percentage.
Others nominated: Elizabeth Lyons (Long Beach State); Laura McGrail (UC Irvine); Tiana Fujimoto (Hawai‘i)
Bruce Helps UC Irvine Move Into Tie For First In Big West
Jordan Bruce (San Diego, Calif./Westview HS) captured Big West Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honors as the anchor to a stout UC Irvine backline, allowing two opponents to take just five shots on goal in a pair of Anteater victories.
The senior was instrumental in stopping several UC Riverside and UC Davis quarries as the Anteaters outscored them 5-1 while improving to 3-1 and moving into a tie for first in the Big West.
Both the Highlanders and Aggies were held to a season-low tying four shots as the Anteaters recorded 3-1 and 2-0 wins, respectively. Bruce spearheaded that effort and even played through discomfort after receiving medical attention for a cut on her leg in the first half Sunday.
Others nominated: Jordyn Zander (Cal Poly)