SPARTANBURG, S.C. - UNCG junior goalkeeper Kelsey Kearney has been chosen as the first Southern Conference women's soccer player of the week for the 2010 season.
Kearney went 3-0 on the opening week of play, leading the Spartans to the first 3-0 start in school history with wins over East Carolina, No. 10 Wake Forest and Utah. She posted shutouts over ECU and Utah and just missed another, as the Demon Deacons spoiled the shutout on a penalty kick in the 83rd minute. Kearney turned in a stellar .933 save percentage on the week, making five saves against ECU and Wake Forest and four against Utah. She moved into a tie for second place on the school's all-time shutouts list, giving her 21 in just 41 career games while her 0.33 GAA for the season lowered her career mark to 0.62, the best in school history.
The win over Wake Forest was also the third victory of her career over a ranked opponent, as she was also in the net for wins over No. 15 Santa Clara in 2008 and No. 11 Duke in 2009.
The 18th-ranked Spartans head west this weekend to take on Southern California and Cal State Fullerton at the Under Armour Invitational in Fullerton, Calif.
Other Nominees: Rachel Shelnutt (Furman), Ruth Leiva (The Citadel), Maryam Buazza (College of Charleston), Emily Bougas (Wofford), Jordan Horvath (Appalachian State), Jessie Baxa (Davidson), Kimmie Kraus (Elon), Sara Oland (Georgia Southern), Katie Proud (Samford) and Christine Kaznowski (Western Carolina).
2010 SoCon Women's Soccer Players of the Week
Aug. 31 Kelsey Kearney, UNCG