2004 WIAC Women's Soccer Athletes of the Week

2004 WIAC Women's Soccer
Athletes of the Week

Week of Oct. 25 - 31
Offense
Carrie Schrank, Senior (Reedsburg), Midfielder of UW-Stout
Schrank scored a goal on a free kick in the second half against UW-Platteville on October 29 to give UW-Stout a 2-1 victory and sole possession of second place in the WIAC standings.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Kris Miller, Sophomore, Midfielder, Fitchburg (Verona)
UW-River Falls, Ashley Peterson, Sophomore, Forward, Lino Lakes, Minn. (Forest Lake)
UW-Stevens Point, Megan Frey, Senior, Forward, Wauwatosa (East)

Defense
Mollie Kreibich, Senior (Plymouth), Midfielder of UW-Stevens Point
Kreibach assisted on the equalizing goal and helped hold Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) to four shots on goal in the Pointers' 3-1 victory on October 31. She picked off a Gustie pass at midfield and streaked through the defense. Her shot hit the crossbar and ricocheted to Liz Kidd for an easy finish.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Julie Taylor, Senior, Midfielder, Verona
UW-River Falls, Amy Piersak, Freshman, Defender, Shoreview, Minn. (Mounds View)
UW-Stout, Heidi Schultz, Junior, Midfielder, River Falls

Week of Oct. 18 - 24
Offense
Kimie Wiepz, Freshman (Stoughton), Forward of UW-Stevens Point
Wiepz scored her first career hat trick in leading the Pointers to a 6-0 victory over UW-River Falls on October 23. The win gave the Pointers their 11th conference championship in the 13-year history of the league. Her three goals came in a span of just 13 minutes. Wiepz also scored the Pointers' fourth overtime game-winning goal of the season in a 2-1 win over St. Thomas (Minn.) on October 19.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Cynthia Fudzinski, Senior, Forward, Pewaukee
UW-Oshkosh, Katy Werginz, Sophomore, Forward, Waupaca
UW-Platteville, Jessi Jones, Senior, Forward, Brookfield (East)
UW-River Falls, Amy Jensen, Sophomore, Forward, Plymouth, Minn. (Bloomington Kennedy)
UW-Stout, Carrie Schrank, Senior, Midfielder, Reedsburg

Defense
Katie O'Leary, Junior (Crystal Lake, Ill./Prairie Ridge), Defender of UW-Stevens Point
O'Leary filled in for non-active teammates in both games this week and performed well. Her and her teammates limited St. Thomas (Minn.) to four shots on goal and UW-River Falls to just two shots on goal.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Julie Taylor, Senior, Midfielder, Verona
UW-Oshkosh, Stacy Stroud, Junior, Defender, New Berlin (West)
UW-River Falls, Freshman, Midfielder, Rosemount, Minn.
UW-Stout, Kate Rindahl, Sophomore, Defender, Cambridge

Week of Oct. 11 - 17
Offense
Mandy Rue, Sophomore (Vadnais Heights, Minn./White Bear Lake), Forward of UW-La Crosse
Rue scored three goals last week, including the game-winning goals in 1-0 victories over UW-Platteville and previously unbeaten UW-Stout. She also had the Eagles' goal in a 2-1 overtime loss at UW-River Falls. Rue has a team-leading 11 goals and 25 points this season, as both totals rank sixth on school's single-season list. She has scored a goal in eight of the last 10 matches.

Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Maggie Hoffman, Freshman, Forward, Waukesha (South)
UW-River Falls, Sarah Carlson, Junior, Forward, Plymouth, Minn. (Armstrong)
UW-Stevens Point, Alyssa Souza, Senior, Midfielder, Madison (Memorial)
UW-Stout, Shannon Hermes, Sophomore, Forward, Prior Lake, Minn.

Defense
Christine Barutha, Junior (Brookfield/Central), Goalkeeper of UW-Oshkosh
Barutha recorded three shutouts as UW-Oshkosh defeated Lawrence, 2-0, on October 12, Aurora (Ill.), 3-0, on October 16 and Carroll, 2-0, on October 17. She had 13 saves in the three matches as she lowered her goals against average on the season to 1.19. Barutha had four saves as UW-Oshkosh topped previously once-beaten Carroll (11-2-1).

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Jayna Stransky, Senior, Defender, McFarland
UW-River Falls, Ashley Peterson, Sophomore, Defender, Lino Lakes, Minn. (Forest Lake)
UW-Stevens Point, Melissa Becker, Senior, Midfielder, Rhinelander
UW-Stout, Heidi Schultz, Junior, Midfielder, River Falls

Week of Oct. 4 - 10
Offense
Becky Sitter, Freshman (Waupaca), Forward of UW-Eau Claire
Sitter scored a pair of goals and added an assist this week to help the Blugolds to a 1-1 record, including a victory over UW-La Crosse. In UW-Eau Claire's match against the Eagles on October 8, she assisted on the Blugolds' first goal and then scored the eventual game-winner as UW-Eau Claire won 2-1. In a 4-1 loss to UW-River Falls on October 5, Sitter scored the lone Blugold goal, which tied the game at one early in the first half.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Mandy Rue, Sophomore, Forward, Vadnais Heights, Minn. (White Bear Lake)
UW-Oshkosh, Nicole Kunick, Junior, Forward, Green Bay (Southwest)
UW-Stevens Point, Mary Donohoo, Freshman, Forward, Wauwatosa (West)
UW-Stout, Heidi Schultz, Junior, Midfielder, River Falls

Defense
Kristyn Piotrowski, Freshman (Stevens Point), Defender of UW-Oshkosh
Piotrowski scored the only goal in a 4-1 loss at Wheaton (Ill.) on October 9. The goal tied the match at 1-1 against the No. 3-ranked team in the country. She also helped the Titans to a 2-1 victory over NAIA opponent Trinity International (Ill.) on October 10.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Annie Scharenbroich, Sophomore, Goalkeeper, White Bear Lake, Minn. (South)
UW-La Crosse, Julie Taylor, Senior, Midfielder, Verona
UW-Oshkosh, Kristyn Piotrowski, Freshman, Defender, Stevens Point
UW-Stevens Point, Abbey Kirchdoerfer, Sophomore, Defender, Oregon
UW-Stout, Hilary Smisky, Freshman, Defender, Chippewa Falls

Week of Sept. 27 - Oct. 3
Offense
Sarah Carlson, Junior (Plymouth, Minn./Armstrong), Forward of UW-River Falls
Carlson set a conference record with 14 points in one match on September 28 against UW-Superior. She tied a school record with four goals and tied a league mark with six assists. Carlson contributed to 10 of the 12 first half goals for the Falcons. She tops the conference with 28 points and is tied for the lead with 12 assists this season.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Marcia Foltz, Junior, Forward/Midfielder, Madison (Memorial)
UW-La Crosse, Cynthia Fudzinski, Senior, Forward, Pewaukee
UW-Oshkosh, Katy Werginz, Sophomore, Forward, Waupaca
UW-Stevens Point, Erin Walsh, Junior, Midfielder, Waunakee
UW-Stout, Shannon Hermes, Sophomore, Forward, Prior Lake, Minn.

Defense
Al Smith, Junior (Chippewa Falls), Defender of UW-Stout
Smith scored the game-winning goal in a 4-2 win over UW-Stevens Point as the Blue Devils defeated the Pointers for the first time in school history. She headed in a corner kick in the 75th minute for her first career goal.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Becky Westbrock, Sophomore, Defender, North St. Paul, Minn.
UW-La Crosse, Sarah Swoboda, Junior, Defender, White Bear Lake, Minn.
UW-Oshkosh, Kristen Malmstrom, Junior, Defender, Brookfield (Central)
UW-River Falls, Ashley Peterson, Sophomore, Forward/Defender, Lino Lakes, Minn. (Forest Lake)

Week of Sept. 20 - 26
Offense
Maria Iaizzo, Junior (White Bear Lake, Minn.), Forward of UW-Eau Claire
Iaizzo scored three first half goals within four minutes of one another as she led the Blugolds to a 4-0 victory over Elmhurst (Ill.) on September 24. Elmhurst entered the match with a 5-1 record. Her first goal came at the 13:45 mark and less than two minutes later she tallied her second goal. Iaizzo completed the hat trick at the 17:37 mark, taking a drop pass from Marcia Foltz and giving UW-Eau Claire a 3-0 lead. Iaizzo leads the Blugolds with five goals and 10 points this season.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Mandy Rue, Sophomore, Forward, Vadnais Heights, Minn. (White Bear Lake)
UW-Oshkosh, Maggie Hoffman, Freshman, Forward, Waukesha (South)
UW-Platteville, Jessi Jones, Senior, Forward, Brookfield (East)
UW-River Falls, Amy Jensen, Sophomore, Forward, Plymouth, Minn. (Bloomington Kennedy)
UW-Stevens Point, Alyssa Souza, Senior, Midfielder, Madison (Memorial)
UW-Stout, Shannon Hermes, Sophomore, Forward, Prior Lake, Minn.
UW-Whitewater, Katie Feyrer, Senior, Midfielder, Cedarburg

Defense
Stephanie Harbaugh, Junior (Hartland/Arrowhead), Goalkeeper of UW-La Crosse
Harbaugh compiled 17 saves in two matches this week. She had 10 saves in UW-La Crosse's 1-0 overtime loss at UW-Stevens Point on September 21 and seven stops in the Eagles' 1-1 double overtime tie at No. 1 ranked Chicago (Ill.) on September 25. Harbaugh also had her first career assist in UW-La Crosse's 1-1 tie at Chicago on Mandy Rue's goal.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Megan Drews, Sophomore, Defender/Midfielder, Wauwatosa (East)
UW-Oshkosh, Jessica Hoffman, Freshman, Midfielder, Waukesha (South)
UW-Platteville, Laurie Trifone, Freshman, Goalkeeper, Dubuque, Iowa (Wahlert)
UW-River Falls, Molly McClanahan, Senior, Midfielder, St. Anthony, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Mollie Kreibach, Senior, Defender, Plymouth
UW-Stout, Hilary Smiskey, Freshman, Defender, Chippewa Falls
UW-Whitewater, Jamie Carollo, Junior, Goalkeeper, Indianapolis, Ind. (Pike)

Week of Sept. 13 - 19
Offense
Jacie Hein, Junior (Mukwonago), Forward of UW-Whitewater
Hein scored both UW-Whitewater goals to give the Warhawks a 2-1 come-from-behind victory over defending conference champion UW-River Falls on September 18. She netted a pair of second half goals, including the game-winning at the 80:18 mark. Hein also registered a pair of goals in a 4-3 victory over Elmhurst (Ill.) on September 15. She leads the team with six goals and 12 points this season.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Kelly Peterson, Junior, Midfielder/Forward, Hudson
UW-La Crosse, Mandy Rue, Sophomore, Forward, Vadnais Heights, Minn. (White Bear Lake)
UW-Oshkosh, Nicole Kunick, Junior, Forward, Green Bay (Southwest)
UW-Platteville, Jessi Jones, Senior, Forward, Brookfield (East)
UW-River Falls, Emily Rodgers, Senior, Midfielder, Richfield, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Alyssa Souza, Senior, Midfielder, Madison (Memorial)
UW-Stout, Shannon Hermes, Sophomore, Forward, Prior Lake, Minn.

Defense
Melissa Ballweg, Senior (Merrimac/Sauk Prairie), Goalkeeper of UW-Stout
Ballweg has posted 482 shutout minutes in a row and has gathered four consecutive shutouts. She was credited with one save against UW-Whitewater in a 4-0 win on September 17, when she came out to make stops before the shot.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Melissa Campion, Senior, Defender, Burnsville, Minn.
UW-La Crosse, Khyl Sircy, Junior, Defender, Minocqua (Lakeland Union)
UW-Oshkosh, Kristyn Piotrowski, Freshman, Defender, Stevens Point
UW-River Falls, Ashley Peterson, Sophomore, Sweeper, Lino Lakes, Minn. (Forest Lake)
UW-Stevens Point, Kortney Krill, Junior, Goalkeeper, Wauwatosa (West)

Week of Sept. 6 - 12
Offense
Nicole Kunick, Junior (Green Bay/Southwest), Forward of UW-Oshkosh
Kunick scored four goals as UW-Oshkosh defeated St. Catherine (Minn.) on September 11 and lost to St. Benedict (Minn.) on September 12. Kunick scored twice in the first 15 minutes of the match as the Titans topped St. Catherine 6-0. She tallied both UW-Oshkosh goals as the Titans dropped a 3-2 decision to St. Benedict. Kunick has scored a team-high six goals this season.

Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Cynthia Fudzinski, Senior, Forward, Pewaukee
UW-River Falls, Julie Shuldheisz, Junior, Midfielder, Anoka, Minn.
UW-Stevens Point, Kimie Wiepz, Freshman, Midfielder, Stoughton
UW-Stout, Carrie Schrank, Senior, Midfielder, Reedsburg
UW-Superior, Beth Haworth, Freshman, Forward, Superior (Maranatha Academy)

Defense
Shannon Patterson, Senior (Stillwater, Minn.), Midfielder of UW-La Crosse
Patterson helped the Eagles' defense to a 2-0 shutout victory over St. Thomas (Minn.) on September 11. It was UW-La Crosse's third shutout in five matches this season. Patterson also recorded a goal in the Eagles' 2-0 win over St. Mary's (Minn.) on September 8.

Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Stacy Stroud, Junior, Defender, New Berlin (West)
UW-River Falls, Gina Hawkins, Junior, Defender, Inver Grove Heights, Minn. (Rosemount)
UW-Stevens Point, Megan Frey, Senior, Midfielder, Wauwatosa (East)
UW-Stout, Allison Smith, Junior, Defender, Chippewa Falls
UW-Superior, Emily Cochran, Freshman, Goalkeeper, Duluth, Minn. (Denfeld)

Week of Aug. 30 - Sept. 5
Offense
Kelly Stolarczyk, Junior (Elk River, Minn.), Forward of UW-Stout
Stolarczyk had a hand in each of UW-Stout's three games this week, as the Blue Devils started the season undefeated (2-0-1). In UW-Stout's opener against Gustavus Adolphus (Minn.) on September 1, Stolarczyk scored what would be the game-tying goal at 13 minutes. In UW-Stout's win at St. Mary's (Md.) on September 4, she passed the ball to freshman Michelle Lizotte for the game-winning goal with 50 seconds remaining in the second overtime. In the Blue Devils' overtime win over Salisbury (Md.) on September 5, Stolarczyk had the first touch in a series of passes that would lead to the winning goal seven minutes into overtime.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Becky Sitter, Freshman, Forward, Waupaca
UW-La Crosse, Cynthia Fudzinski, Senior, Forward, Pewaukee
UW-Oshkosh, Michelle John, Sophomore, Midfielder, Whitefish Bay
UW-Platteville, Abigail Genske, Freshman, Midfielder/Forward, Madison (Abundant Life Christian)
UW-River Falls, Sarah Carlson, Junior, Plymouth, Minn. (Armstrong)
UW-Stevens Point, Alyssa Souza, Senior, Forward, Madison (Memorial)

Defense
Tara Schmitt, Senior (Brookfield/Catholic Memorial), Defender of UW-Stevens Point
Schmitt was selected as the most valuable player of the Rochester Institute of Technology (N.Y.) tournament. In the championship game, Schmitt intercepted a pass, dribbled through the RIT defense and scored the game-winning goal for a 2-1 overtime victory. Earlier in the game, Schmitt fended off an RIT shot in front of the Pointers' empty net to prevent a goal.

Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Melissa Campion, Senior, Defender, Burnsville, Minn.
UW-La Crosse, Julie Taylor, Senior, Midfielder, Verona
UW-Oshkosh, Stacy Stroud, Junior, Defender, New Berlin (West)
UW-Platteville, Meghan Murphy, Freshman, Defender, Platteville
UW-River Falls, Amy Piersak, Freshman, Defender, Shoreview, Minn. (Mounds View)
UW-Stout, Kate Rindahl, Sophomore, Defender, Cambridge

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