Long earns Southland weekly soccer honor
10/6/2009 3:15:00 PM | Soccer
Deanna Long, sophomore defender from Kelowna, British Columbia, has been voted as this week's Southland women's soccer "Defensive Player of the Week."
UTSA forward Halee Hamm is the "Offensive Player of the Week" and Texas State's Mandi Mawyer received "Goalkeeper of the Week" honors.
Long played all 180 minutes in the Bearkats' two victories this weekend as Sam Houston opened Southland Conference action with a 2-1 victory at McNeese State and a 1-0 shutout at Lamar.
Long came forward to score the first goal against McNeese State and assisted on the game-winning goal. Sunday, Long led the Bearkat defense to its fourth shutout of the season in a 1-0 win over Lamar. Sam Houston State is 2-0 in league play for the second consecutive year.
Sam Houston's Jenny Pence had earned the last two Southland "Goalkeeper of the Week" awards. Two weeks ago Kirby Zak was Southland "Offensive Player of the Week" and last Monday Hilary Ackerman was "Defensive Player of the Week."
Sam Houston State will attempt to extend its winning streak to three games Friday when the Bearkats play host to Southeastern Louisiana at 7 p.m. at Pritchett Field. If the Bearkats can defeat the Lions, it would mark the first time in the seven-year history of the SHSU women's soccer program that the team has won three league games in a row.
"It's exciting to have earned the honors that the girls have received the last three weeks and it was awesome to start conference play with a pair of road wins, but now we have to stay focused and concentrate on this week's match," SHSU head coach Tom Brown said. "The Southland Conference appears to be very balanced from top to bottom. Every match is going to be a struggle. We're looking forward to our first Southland Conference home match Friday at Pritchett."
Admission to Sam Houston women's soccer at Pritchett Field is free. The Bearkats also will play a home Southland match at Pritchett Field Sunday at 1 p.m. when the Kats host Nicholls.
For ticket information on all Bearkat sports, go to www.gobearkats.com or contact the Sam Houston athletic ticket office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
