Empire 8 Conference Players of the Week - October 15
Empire 8 Players of the Week
October 8 - October 14
Cross Country
Men's Runner - Trevor LaDue, Stevens (Freshman, Monroe, N.Y.)
LaDue turned in the top individual time in the Empire 8, finishing the eight- kilometer course at the Connecticut College Cross Country Invitational in 26:33.1.
Field Hockey
Offensive Player - Lauren Fazio, St. John Fisher (Senior, Hopewell Junction, N.Y.)
Fazio had a monster week as the senior lead Fisher to a 2-1 record last week including a 9-0 win over Sage in conference play. Fazio, who started all three games, combined to score seven goals and had two assists on the week. Against Cortland, she totaled both of Fisher's goals before dropping a career-high four goals as Fisher tied its program mark for goals in a game against the Gators. Fazio closed out her week with one goal and a pair of assists in a non-conference win at Oswego.
Defensive Player - Tina O'Donnell, Elmira (Junior, Kutztown, Pa.)
O'Donnell went 1-1 for Elmira in a pair of games last week. She made a career-high-tying 23 saves in an E8 loss against Nazareth, which marked her third effort this year with 20-plus saves and her seventh with double-digit stops. She made five saves in a 3-2 win over Morrisville State. She continues to lead the E8 in saves (147) and saves per game (12.25), while ranking third in the nation in saves per game.
Football
Offensive Player - Tyree Brown, Brockport (Sophomore, Buffalo, N.Y.)
In their toughest test to date, Brockport's Brown shined in a 52-0 rout of Alfred, scoring five touchdowns. The wide receiver did it through the air and on the ground, posting seven receptions for 139-yards and three scores including a touchdown catch for 61-yards. On the ground, Brown had six carries for 24-yards and two TDs.
Defensive Player - Jose Garcia, Morrisville (Sophomore, New York, N.Y.)
Garcia recorded a collegiate-high 15 total tackles, including 10 solo stops, in the team's 41-24 win over Utica Saturday in Empire 8 action. He also recorded an interception and pass break up. He was part of the defensive unit that forced the Pioneers to turn the ball over twice during the contest.
Special Teams Player - Dustin Moyle, Brockport (Junior, Carthage, N.Y.)
Moyle had another perfect outing for the Green and Gold, stepping up on every occasion. The junior went 7-for-7 on extra points, and knocked home a 32-yards field goal in the final quarter, putting the finishing touches on the 52-0 win.
Golf
Men's Player - Sean Paul Owen, Oswego (Senior, Horseheads, N.Y.)
Owen led the Lakers to a first-place finish at the Nazareth College Invitational over the weekend. The senior shot even through the first 15 holes, and claimed the lead despite three bogeys on Saturday. He then dropped three strokes from his score, shooting one-under 71 on Sunday. The Horseheads, N.Y. native claimed the top spot with an eight-stroke margin over the second place finisher.
Women's Player - Emily Schultz, St. John Fisher (Sophomore, Penfield, N.Y.)
Schultz helped lead the Cardinals to a first-place finish over the weekend at the 36-hole Nazareth Fall Invitational in Rochester. She finished first on the leader board at 33 as the Penfield native recorded two birdies on the weekend.
Men's Soccer
Offensive Player - Jake Adams, Nazareth (Sophomore, Holley, N.Y.)
Adams helped the Golden Flyers to a pair of victories last week by scoring a pair of goals. He scored on a penalty kick in Wednesday's 6-1 victory over Alfred State. Then in a key Empire 8 Conference match at Alfred last Saturday, Adams scored the game's lone goal in the second half of a 1-0 triumph for the Golden Flyers (9-3-1 overall). Adams leads the team in scoring with 17 points on six goals, five assists.
Defensive Player - Brian Wilkin, Nazareth (Junior, Hilton, N.Y.)
Wilkin remained steady in goal for the Golden Flyers, who won two more games to improve to 9-3-1 overall. He had three saves in a 6-1 win over Alfred State last Wednesday and had five saves, including one on a late second-half penalty kick, in Saturday's 1-0 win at Alfred. It marked Wilkin's seventh shutout of the season as he lowered his goals-against average to 0.61 and raised his saver percentage to .857.
Women's Soccer
Offensive Player - Mikayla Blumenstock, Utica (Junior, Poland, N.Y.)
Blumenstock had another sensational week with three goals as the Pioneers grabbed hold of a pair of wins in extra time. In Wednesday's win against Morrisville, she set the stage for Abby Reilly's overtime heroics with the equalizing goal in the 72nd minute in a 2-1 win. On Saturday, Blumenstock again stood tall with two goals against Alfred in an Empire 8 match. Her first came in regulation time in just the 14
th-minute to aid the Pioneers in building a 2-0 lead. When Alfred wiped the slate clean with a pair of scores to tie things up, Blumenstock helped Utica turn the tables back over for the win. In the 92
nd-minute, the junior struck extra time gold on a through ball placed in by Gabrielle Esposito for her second overtime match-winner of the season as Utica prevailed on Senior Day.
Defensive Player - Cassidy Buchman, Elmira (Freshman, Lowville, N.Y.)
Buchman went 1-1 with a 1.50 goals-against average and 12 saves in 180:00 minutes of action last week. She earned the first win of her collegiate career in her second start on the road against Medaille, 2-1. She made three saves and limited the Mustangs to just one first-half goal, as Elmira came from behind with two unanswered scores for the win. She made a career-high nine saves in a 2-0 loss to Alfred State and logged seven of those saves in the first half.
Women's Volleyball
Player - Sara Hain, Stevens (Junior, Roseville, Minn.)
Hain totaled 44 kills on 82 attacks with 15 errors (.354), including a perfect 8- 0-8 night against conference opponent Sage to set a new school record. The junior middle also posted eight blocks during the review period.
Rookie - Alea Steigerwald, St. John Fisher (Freshman, Penfield, N.Y.)
Steigerwald once again was the leader of the St. John Fisher offensive attack this past week. She started off the week with a game-high 16 kills and 16 digs in the Fisher straight-set victory over Buffalo State. Over the three-match weekend for the Cardinals, Steigerwald totaled 34 kills, 26 digs, and three service aces.
About the Empire 8 Conference
The members of the Empire 8 are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and aspire to be regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership seeks to distinguish itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the Empire 8.