Messiah Women's Soccer All-Time All-Commonwealth Honors

Annville, PA – The Commonwealth Conference released the 2014 women's soccer conference awards on Tuesday, with Messiah College honored with eight recognitions. Nikki Elsaesser and Macaulay Soto were named Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, to lead the group.
 
For Elsaesser, the Offensive Player of the Year award is her second in as many years, while Soto's Defensive Player of the Year award follows an Honorable Mention recognition last season.
 
Elsaesser and Soto were also named First Team All-Commonwealth. Joining them on First Team was forward Marisa Weaver, midfielder Kyele Bridel, and defender Ashley Locke. Defender Hannah Weyland was named to the Second Team, and both forward Holly Burgard and keeper Audra Larson were named Honorable Mention.
 
Elsaesser leads the Falcons with 47 points on 19 goals and nine assists. She was second in points for conference games only, but tallied seven goals and four assists and eight games. She is also one of four players in the conference with five game-winners, another being teammate Marisa Weaver.
 
Soto was awarded the defensive honor thanks to her spectacular play on both sides of the ball. She has tallied three goals and six assists on the season, but her impact on the game is oftentimes outside the stat sheet. Specifically, Soto's ability to track large areas and maintain possession for the Falcons has enabled them to have both the conference's best offense (3.8 goals per game) and defense (0.20 goals against).
 
Weaver has broken out to the tune of 14 goals and 10 assists, totals good for second and first for Messiah, respectively. She is third in the conference in total points (18) across eight games.
 
Kyele Bridel has tallied seven goals and seven assists for the Falcons and, along with Holly Burgard (5g, 6a), has given Messiah consistent and dynamic play up front to challenge opposing defenses. Even more to that point, Bridel and Burgard have combined for 37 points this season after combining for 16 points all of last season.
 
Ashley Locke, Hannah Weyland, and Audra Larson have been key pieces of the Falcons' stingy defensive unit. As mentioned, the team carries a 0.20 GAA—a mark that is fourth-best in the nation—while they relent just 4.4 shots per game to their opponents. Fourteen of the Falcons' 18 wins have come by shutout, with Larson's career shutout total currently tying her with the NCAA Division III record.
 
The Falcons enter the Commonwealth Tournament tonight when they host No. 3-seeded Lebanon Valley at 6:00 p.m.
 
A complete listing of the All-Commonwealth honors is below:

Offensive Player of the Year – Nikki Elsaesser, Messiah (Jr.)
Defensive Player of the Year – Macaulay Soto, Messiah (Jr.)
Rookie of the Year – Jordan Lazarich, Lycoming (Fr.)
Coach of the Year – Graeme Millar, Stevenson

First-Team All-Commonwealth
Forward - Sammy Bost, Lebanon Valley (So.)
Forward - Nikki Elsaesser, Messiah (Jr.)
Forward - Marisa Weaver, Messiah (So.)
Midfield - Kyele Bridel, Messiah (Jr.)
Midfield - Amanda Douglas, Lebanon Valley (Sr.)
Midfield - Allie Ondrejcak, Stevenson (Jr.)
Midfield - Macaulay Soto, Messiah (Jr.)
Defender - Ashley Locke, Messiah (Sr.)
Defender - Alexa Muffly, Lebanon Valley (Jr.)
Defender - Kaylie Yapps, Stevenson (Sr.)
Goalkeeper - Olivia Pfautz, Widener (Jr.)

Second-Team All-Commonwealth
Forward - Kim Canfield, Arcadia (Sr.)
Forward - Jordan Lazarich, Lycoming (Fr.)
Forward - Meaghan Williams, Stevenson (Sr.)
Midfield - Nina Barbieri, Arcadia (Sr.)
Midfield - Kristen Eckert, Alvernia (Sr.)
Midfield - Jackie Glanfield, Arcadia (So.)
Midfield - Jessie Herbert, Hood (Jr.)
Midfield - Jordan Porretto, Stevenson (So.)
Defender - Emily Losquadro, Stevenson (Jr.)
Defender - Melia Ochsner, Arcadia (Jr.)
Defender - Alex Stoner, Arcadia (Sr.)
Defender - Hannah Weyland, Messiah (Sr.)
Goalkeeper - Veronica Willig, Arcadia (Sr.)

Honorable Mention
Forward - Holly Burgard, Messiah (Jr.)
Defender - Erica Dunkelberger, Alvernia (So.)
Defender - Taylor Kleeschulte, Lebanon Valley (Fr.)
Forward - Lennon Kramer, Arcadia (So.)
Goalkeeper - Audra Larson, Messiah (Jr.)
Goalkeeper - Tiffany McKee, Stevenson (Fr.)
Goalkeeper - Taylor Reinhold, Lebanon Valley (So.)
 

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