The Commonwealth Coast Conference Athletes of the Week

WOMEN’S TENNIS

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Endicott College junior Gina Pinciaro (Beverly, Mass.) won two matches for the Gulls last week, including the deciding match in the CCC Championship. Early in the week, she won four of the last five games in the third set to defeat her Springfield opponent as the visiting Gulls won 5-4. In the 2011 CCC title match against top seed Nichols, Pinciaro rallied back from an opening-set loss to win sets two and three at #6 singles to give Endicott its first conference championship since 2008.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Endicott College freshman Amy Heacox (Marion, Mass.) was a key component in the Gulls’ 3-0 week. She opened the week winning her #3 singles match in three sets to help the Gulls to a 5-4 road victory over Springfield, and finished out the week with a straight-set victory at #3 singles in the CCC Championship to help her team to a 5-3 triumph over number one seed Nichols. Heacox also went 3-0 at #3 doubles on the week, two of which came in CCC tournament matches.

CROSS COUNTRY

FEMALE RUNNER OF THE WEEK – Salve Regina University senior Caroline Norton (Portland, Conn.) finished 21st in a field of 64 runners in the Division I CCSU Mini Meet with a 3K time of 10:56.

FIELD HOCKEY

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – University of New England senior midfielder Bree Tupper (Winthrop, Maine) collected eight points in a 2-0 week for the Nor’easters. She posted her third career hat trick in a 4-0 victory over CCC foe Gordon, scoring three goals in the opening 34 minutes. Tupper netted her fourth goal of the week in a 4-1 win over conference opponent Western New England, helping the Nor’easters improve to 15-1 on the season.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Endicott College junior goalkeeper Taylor Teixeira (Exeter, N.H.) posted a 0.64 goals against average and deflected 10 shots in a 2-0 week for the Gulls. She had held opponents scoreless for over 200 minutes of play until CCC rival Gordon netted the team’s lone goal in a 5-1 win. Teixeira made a week-high six saves in a 3-0 shutout of league rival Salve Regina.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – University of New England freshman goalkeeper Kaitlyn Warren (Boscawen, N.H.) turned away seven shots over 140 minutes of play and recorded a 0.50 goals against average in a 2-0 week for the Nor’easters. She opened the week making four stops while blanking conference foe Gordon 4-0, and went on to tally three more saves in a 4-1 victory over CCC rival Western New England.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – University of New England junior forward Lauren Blaisdell (Scarborough, Maine) recorded her fourth game-winning goal of the season in the 36th minute to help UNE top Endicott 1-0 and remain undefeated in conference play (7-0-1).

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Endicott College senior forward Colleen Pepin (Fairhaven, Mass.) enjoyed a solid week as she posted seven points in a 1-1 week for the Gulls. Pepin celebrated Senior Day at Endicott with her first hat trick of the year in a 6-0 triumph over league opponent Wentworth. She tallied the hat trick before the halftime whistle and chipped in an assist on the fourth goal of the game for the Gulls. She currently leads the team with 14 goals and 31 points on the season.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Roger Williams University sophomore goalkeeper Stephanie Jaques (Burlington, Vt.) faced six shots over 2-0 week for the Hawks. In a road contest versus conference foe Salve Regina, she turned away three shots in a close 1-0 victory. Jaques went on to stop another three shots in a 3-0 win against Gordon.

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – University of New England senior goalkeeper Jess Woodworth (Concord, N.H.) was solid in net and helped lift the Nor’asters to a 1-0 week. She shutout conference rival Endicott in a 1-0 victory, and made an impressive 10 saves on the day.

MEN’S SOCCER

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Gordon College sophomore forward Andrew Vandervoort (Memphis, Tenn.) had outstanding offensive performances that were crucial during the back stretch of the Fighting Scots’ season. Vandervoort tallied five points on the week, including a goal and an assist in a 2-0 victory over CCC opponent Curry. In a road game against league rival Roger Williams, Vandervoort netted the first goal in a 2-0 victory. 

DEFFENSIVE PLAYER AND ROOKIE OF THE WEEK- Salve Regina University freshman goalkeeper Kyle Kureczka (Berlin, Conn.) compiled a remarkable 0.41 goals against average in a 0-0-2 week for the Seahawks. Kureczka only allowed a single goal over 220 minutes of play, which came in a 1-1 double-overtime tie against league rival Roger Williams. He also made 15 saves in a double-overtime shutout versus CCC foe Curry. 

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Gordon College senior goalkeeper Spencer Lord (North Stonington, Conn.) has been a key factor in helping the Scots stay unbeaten in conference play (6-0-2). He posted back-to-back shutouts in a 2-0 week for the Fighting Scots. Lord turned away seven shots on goal in a 2-0 victory over Curry, and also added three saves in the team’s 2-0 win over Roger Williams.

VOLLEYBALL

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – University of New England sophomore setter Maria Kuehl (Middleton, N.H.) was impressive on both sides of the net in a 3-1 week for the Nor’easters. She averaged 7.31 assists, and 3.88 digs per set, while hitting .350.  Kuehl collected double-digit digs in each contest, including a week-high 19, which came in a tight 3-2 victory over Eastern Connecticut. Kuehl’s most impressive performance came in a 3-2 triumph over Colby, in which she dished out 40 assists, posted 15 digs, and had nine kills with a hitting percentage of .643.

LIBERO OF THE WEEK – Endicott College junior Ashley Norley (Sudbury, Mass.) helped the Gulls to a 2-2 week, averaging 4.71 digs and 0.57 aces per set. Her performance helped defeat regional power Tufts 3-2, as she posted a service percentage of .964 with only one error and collected a week-high 23 digs.  Norley also posted perfect service percentages in tough losses to Coast Guard and Connecticut College

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – University of New England freshman outside hitter Leah Janelle (Madbury, N.H.) averaged 2.31 kills, and 2.62 digs per set while hitting .223 in a 3-1 week for the Nor’easters. Her most impressive showing came in a close 3-2 victory over Eastern Connecticut, in which she recorded an 11-kill, 18-dig double-double. Janelle tallied 37 kills and 42 digs on the week.

 Courtesy of CCC