SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Western Carolina forward Valentine Pursey and Samford goalkeeper Morgan McAslan have been named the Southern Conference women’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all competition from Sept. 28-Oct. 4.

Pursey, a graduate student, netted three goals on the week as the Catamounts picked up a pair of road wins at Furman and Wofford. In the 3-1 win at Furman on Friday, Pursey scored two goals against the Paladins, netting both in a two-minute span in the second half. The native of Ticehurst, United Kingdom, broke open a scoreless tie in the 56^th minute, collecting a deflected ball that fell right in front of her and sending it into the goal. After Furman answered with a goal a minute later, it took only 23 seconds for Pursey to put the Catamounts back in front. She took a pass from Kirsten Hahn at the 18-yard line before dribbling to the 8-yard line and firing the eventual game-winner from there. Pursey tallied her second game-winner of the week on Sunday, netting the golden goal in overtime as Western Carolina came away with a 2-1 win over Wofford. In the 92nd minute, Maggie Lloyd sent the ball in the box and it pinged off a Wofford player who tried to send it back to a Terrier, but the ball landed in front of Pursey, who sent a shot into the bottom left of the goal. 

McAslan, a senior, played all 180 minutes in goal and recorded a shutout as Samford went 2-0 in a pair of road matches to improve to 4-0 in SoCon play. In Friday’s 1-0 win at Mercer, the native of Waterdown, Ontario, faced 13 shots and tallied seven saves in the shutout. On Sunday, McAslan faced 14 shots and totaled four saves in a 4-2 win at The Citadel.
 
After a pair of road games, Western Carolina (8-4-1, 3-1-0 SoCon) remains on the road for one more before returning home, taking on ETSU (4-3-3, 1-2-1) in Johnson City, Tennessee, on Friday, Oct. 8, in the Catamounts’ lone contest of the week. Samford (7-3-2, 4-0-0) returns home to host Wofford (3-9-0, 1-2-0) on Friday and Furman (5-4-1, 1-2-0) on Sunday.
 
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Alex Madden (The Citadel), Lindsey Cook (ETSU), Isabella Gutierrez (Furman), Payton Schurr (Mercer), Taylor Yount (Samford), Isabella Bruzonic (VMI) and Caileen Almeida (Wofford).

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Addison Corn (Furman), Kylie Buchanan (Mercer), Natalie McNally (Western Carolina) and Maria Mon (Wofford).

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
 
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