UC Santa Barbara sophomore Sara Feder and Long Beach State sophomore Ashton McKeown played the starring roles to garner Big West Women’s Soccer Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week recognition.
Feder Helps UC Santa Barbara Go 2-0
A pair of bookended goals netted UC Santa Barbara midfielder Sara Feder (Denver, Colo./Cherry Creek HS) the Big West Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honor.
Feder scored both early and late to help give the Gauchos back-to-back Big West victories over Hawai‘i and UC Davis. She scored just one minute and 27 seconds into the match against the Rainbow Wahine after collecting a shot that had come off the crossbar and redirecting it into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. UCSB eventually won that game, 2-0.
In a 3-2 triumph against the Aggies, late-game heroics from Feder cemented the outcome. With the score tied at two apiece in the second overtime, the sophomore deposited the game-winning goal, her fourth of the year, just 19 seconds away from full time. Feder’s leaping header off of a corner kick from Kate Shoemaker sealed the victory.
Others nominated: Cynthia Sanchez (CSUN); Jessica Vincent (Long Beach State); Haley Hughes (UC Davis)
Stingy McKeown Sets Career-High In Saves
Long Beach State sophomore goalkeeper Ashton McKeown (Huntington Beach, Calif./Calvary Chapel HS) made 15 saves in two conference matches, both resulting in ties, and garnered the Big West Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week accolade.
McKeown made a career-high eight saves in a scoreless draw with Cal State Fullerton to open the week. Six of those stops came in the second half, including a key diving save in the final minutes of regulation. It was the second straight shutout and fifth overall this season for McKeown.
In a 1-1 tie against UC Irvine, McKeown collected seven saves, and the one goal she allowed ricocheted off the post and in. That strike ended McKeown’s 237 minute goalless streak. LBSU eventually scored the equalizer in the 67th minute.
For the week, McKeown finished with a 0.41 goals against average and .938 save percentage.
Others nominated: Alyssa Giannetti (Cal Poly); Jovani McCaskill (CSUN); Rachel Smith (UC Davis)