Annville, PA – One day after Messiah women's soccer beat Lebanon Valley to advance in the MAC Championship, they had nine players named to the All-MAC Commonwealth teams.
Marisa Weaver,
DJ Cole, and
Sunny Gelnovatch led the honors as they were named the Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year, respectively.
Weaver and Cole are the fourth set of Falcon teammates to collect the Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards since the single "Player of the Year" award split back in 2013.
Weaver's honor came after she tallied a career-high 20 goals to go along with seven assists as the Falcons' offensive leader. She is eighth in the nation in goals scored and 19th in total points (47). Weaver has a team-high five game-winners and is third all-time in program history with 19 total winning goals. Earlier this season she scored a goal in six-straight games, and she has at least one point in 13 of 18 games this season.
Sunny Gelnovatch earned the Rookie of the Year award after collecting eight goals and six assists for 22 total points—all marks that are second on the team. She collected hat-tricks against both Lycoming and Hood, and she put through the game-winning goal in overtime against No. 22 McDaniel.
For
DJ Cole, the Defensive Player of the Year award is recognition of her dynamic, two-way play for the Falcons in the midfield. Cole's energy, pace, and persistent play has helped Messiah rank near the top of the nation in offensive and defensive categories, including sixth in total assists (57), 11th in total points (175), and 25th in total goals (59). The Falcons also rank 18th in shutout defense while holding opponents to just 4.2 shots per game—no doubt a result of the midfield play from Cole and fellow all-conference teammate,
Missy Biener.
Biener's Second Team nod is her second all-conference honor in as many seasons. Last year the award was for her defensive play, but the versatile veteran has made her mark in the midfield in 2016.
As for Messiah's defense, three backs and goalie
Sara Yunez were recognized.
Kayla Deckert and Yunez led the way with First Team recognition, with
Summerly Merson and
Skylar Ulry picking up Second Team honors. Yunez, who has played all but 47 minutes this season, carries a 0.39 goals against average and a .811 save percentage, and she has 11 shutouts. Her defensive partners have helped Messiah earn a 0.38 goals against average as a team, good for 19th in the country.
Erin Sollenberger was also named All-MAC Commonwealth thanks to her play up front. She's tallied four goals and four assists for 12 total points, including an
impressive tally in last night's win over the Dutchmen.
A complete listing of the All-MAC Commonwealth honors is here:
| Offensive Player of the Year: Marisa Weaver (Sr.), Messiah |
|
|
| Defensive Player of the Year: DJ Cole (So.), Messiah |
|
|
| Rookie of the Year: Sunny Gelnovatch (Fr.), Messiah |
|
|
| Coach of the Year: Rick Brownell, Arcadia |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| First Team All-MAC Commonwealth |
|
|
| Forward |
Sammy Bost |
Lebanon Valley |
Senior |
| Forward |
Kayla Haberbosch |
Arcadia |
Junior |
| Forward |
Marisa Weaver |
Messiah |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
DJ Cole |
Messiah |
Sophomore |
| Midfielder |
Sunny Gelnovatch |
Messiah |
Freshman |
| Midfielder |
Jackie Glanfield |
Arcadia |
Senior |
| Defender |
Erica Bross |
Albright |
Sophomore |
| Defender |
Kayla Deckert |
Messiah |
Senior |
| Defender |
Jess Kelly |
Arcadia |
Junior |
| Defender |
Veronica Pontis |
Arcadia |
Sophomore |
| Defender |
Alayna Roesener |
Stevenson |
Freshman |
| Goalie |
Sara Yunez |
Messiah |
Junior |
|
|
|
|
| Second Team All-MAC Commonwealth |
|
|
| Forward |
Lennon Kramer |
Arcadia |
Senior |
| Forward |
Jordan Lazarich |
Lycoming |
Junior |
| Forward |
Alexis Siejack |
Stevenson |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Missy Biener |
Messiah |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Johnna Garbrick |
Lebanon Valley |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Megan O'Brien |
Albright |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Karis Poore |
Arcadia |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Jordan Porretto |
Stevenson |
Senior |
| Defender |
Brittney Celano |
Stevenson |
Junior |
| Defender |
Summerly Merson |
Messiah |
Junior |
| Defender |
Skylar Ulry |
Messiah |
Junior |
| Goalie |
Alexis Tunney |
Albright |
Sophomore |
|
|
|
|
| Honorable Mention All-MAC Commonwealth |
|
|
| Forward |
Erin Sollenberger |
Messiah |
Senior |
| Forward |
Emily Sousa |
Albright |
Senior |
| Midfielder |
Alison Hyde |
Alvernia |
Freshman |
| Midfielder |
Kailee Ziegler |
Stevenson |
Junior |
| Defender |
Sam Hooker |
Stevenson |
Sophomore |
| Defender |
Laura Zimmermann |
Lebanon Valley |
Senior |
| Goalie |
Rachel Knoebel |
Hood |
Sophomore |
| Goalie |
Tiffany McKee |
Stevenson |
Junior |
