Women's Soccer

Women’s soccer players of the week announced

Mercer’s Cook and Samford’s Gazza honored

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer junior midfielder Kendall Cook and Samford senior defender Kylie Gazza have been named the Southern Conference women’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all competition from Aug. 18-22.

Cook started both games for Mercer last week as the Bears went 1-0-1. She logged an assist in the Bears’ 1-1 tie at preseason Big South Champion favorite Campbell on Aug. 18 and in a 3-1 win over Charleston Southern, which was the squad’s home opener, Cook scored a goal and grabbed another assist. In the tie against the Fighting Camels, her assist came in the 45th minute on a goal by Lana Whitfield, which tied the game before both team’s went scoreless in the second half. Against Charleston Southern, the Alpharetta, Georgia, native got her assist in the 14th minute on a goal that tied the score and would score her first goal of the season in the 40th minute. That goal served as the game-winning score.

Gazza played all 180 minutes for Samford in its two wins. The Bulldogs won both of their matches on the road via shutout, winning 2-0 at Jacksonville State on Aug. 18 and 1-0 at Rice on Aug. 21. Along with being a part of the back line that did not allow a goal, the Cumming, Georgia, native scored her first goal of the season in the second half against Jacksonville State. The score came in the 75th minute to put the Bulldogs ahead 2-0.

Mercer will host a pair of games this weekend as the Bears welcome the College of Charleston on Friday, Aug. 26, and Stetson on Sunday, Aug. 28. Samford (2-0) will play its first home contests of the season this weekend as Murray State comes to Birmingham, Alabama on Thursday, Aug. 25, and the 18th-ranked Ole Miss Rebels will visit the Bulldogs on Sunday, Aug. 28. 

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Emma Arnold (ETSU), Stella Garcia (Furman), Ryen Ortiz (UNCG), Layton Glisson (Samford) and Caileen Almeida (Wofford)

 

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Sydney Somogyi (ETSU), Addison Corn (Furman), Lindsay Bell (Mercer), Parker Sikora (UNCG), Melody Mezzina (Western Carolina) and Caroline Doss (Wofford).  

 

2022 SoCon Women’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week 

Aug. 23    Kendall Cook, Jr., MF, Mercer 

 

2022 SoCon Women’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week 

Aug. 23    Kylie Gazza, Sr., D, Samford