SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG midfielder Caroline Woods and ETSU goalkeeper Shu Ohba have been named the Southern Conference women’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all competition from Oct. 5-11.
 
Woods, a sophomore, netted a goal in each of UNCG’s two games and finished with five points on the week as the Spartans played to a 1-1 draw against Mercer on Friday and earned a 5-0 victory over The Citadel on Sunday. In Friday’s contest against the Bears, Woods netted UNCG’s lone goal of the game in the 62^nd minute. Gracie Timbario sent the ball to Woods, positioned just inside the 18-yard box, and Woods sent the ball into the upper left corner of the net. Against the Bulldogs two days later, Woods assisted on the first Spartan goal and netted the last. In the 35^th minute of play, she collected a pass from Dalani Stephens and sent a cross to Nicole Souply, who scored from six yards out. After the Spartans tacked on three more goals, Woods added one of her own in the 81^st minute. A pass from Caroline Fiorella to Gabi Santora put Santora in position to send the ball Woods’ way. The native of Kernersville, North Carolina, launched the ball from outside the 18-yard arc over the goalkeeper’s outstretched hands, scoring her third goal in as many games and extending UNCG’s lead to 5-0 en route to the win.
 
Ohba helped the Bucs to a shutout victory over Western Carolina on Saturday. The native of Fujisawa, Japan, registered her sixth clean sheet of the year as she made seven saves in the 1-0 win. Western Carolina took 19 shots in the game, nine coming in the second half where Ohba made three saves, including a 1-on-1 look from Kirsten Hahn in the 51^st minute that Ohba denied to keep the Catamounts off the board.
 
After three consecutive home games, UNCG (3-4-6, 2-1-2 SoCon) hits the road to play at Wofford (3-11, 1-4) on Friday, Oct. 15, and at Furman (6-5-1, 2-3) on Sunday, Oct. 17. ETSU (5-3-3, 2-2-1) remains at home as part of a three-game homestand, hosting Chattanooga (5-8-2, 2-3-1) on Friday and Samford (9-3-2, 6-0), the lone undefeated team in conference action, on Sunday.
 
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Jocelyn Nehls (ETSU), Kyndal Anderson (Furman), Ally Fordham (Mercer), Kylie Gazza (Samford), Grace Klippenstein (Chattanooga) and McKenzie Guest (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Aiyanah Tyler-Cooper (UNCG), Morgan McAslan (Samford) and Abbey Saddler (Chattanooga).

2021 SoCon Women’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 24       Hannah Farr, So., MF, Furman
Aug. 31       Riley Flanagan, Fr., F, VMI
Sept. 7        Alyssa Frazier, Sr., MF, Samford
Sept. 14      Kyra Ranvek, So., F, ETSU
Sept. 21      Naya Marcil, Fr., F/MF, Western Carolina
Sept. 28      Rachel Rasins, Jr., F, Wofford
Oct. 5         Valentine Pursey, Gr., F, Western Carolina
Oct. 12       Caroline Woods, So., MF, UNCG
 
2021 SoCon Women’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 24       Aiyanah Tyler-Cooper, Sr., GK, UNCG
Aug. 31       Sydney Somogyi, Fr., D, ETSU
Sept. 7       Morgan McAslan, Sr., GK, Samford
Sept. 14      Aiyanah Tyler-Cooper, Sr., GK, UNCG
Sept. 21      Shu Ohba, Fr., GK, ETSU
Sept. 28     Jordyn Ebert, Gr., GK, Mercer
Oct. 5         Morgan McAslan, Sr., GK, Samford
Oct. 12       Shu Ohba, Fr., GK, ETSU