2013 Emory Women's Soccer Athletes of the Week

Emory University sophomore goalkeeper Liz Arnold recorded a career-high seven saves during the eighth-ranked Eagles match against fourth-ranked Wheaton College (Ill.) in the round of 16 of the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championships. Arnold played all 101 minutes and 39 seconds in goal, facing 23 shots during the game including eight on goal, and surrendering just one score to the Thunder, coming in the second overtime period. She finished the campaign, her first as a starter, with an overall record of 15-3-1, six shutouts, a 0.46 goals-against average and a .857 save percentage. Wheaton defeated Emory 1-0 in the double-overtime contest, as the Eagles ended their season with an overall record of 16-4-1.

Emory University junior Emily Feldman recorded the first postseason ‘hat trick’ in the program’s history during the eighth-ranked Eagles’ 6-1 win over Piedmont College on Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championships. Feldman came off the bench to score goals in the 27th, 30th and 42nd minutes to help lead the Eagles to the victory. The ‘hat trick’ was the first of the forward’s career, and the 34th in the program’s history. She totaled 23 minutes in the game, and her three shots in the contest each resulted in scores. Feldman also helped Emory to a 2-1 win over 11th-ranked Lynchburg in the second round on Sunday, coming off the bench to play 38 minutes in the contest. In just six games this season, coming off the bench in each, Feldman has scored five goals and assisted on two others for 12 points. With the two wins, the Eagles extended their winning streak to nine games and improved to 16-3-1 overall, advancing to the round of 16 of the NCAA Championships for the fourth-consecutive season.

Emory University freshman and University Athletic Association (UAA) Rookie of the Year Hannah Meyer helped lead the eighth-ranked Eagles to a pair of victories during the opening rounds of the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championships last weekend. Meyer played the entirety of the first half of the Eagles’ 6-1 win over Piedmont College on Saturday, holding the Lions to just one shot off target during a scoreless frame. On Sunday, facing the second-ranked offense in Division III in 11th-ranked Lynchburg College, the center back played all 90 minutes and held the Hornets to one goal on 15 shots and six shots on goal during a 2-1 Emory win. Meyer also had a key pass in the game that led to a penalty kick opportunity for Emory, which proved to be the game-winning goal. The all-UAA honorable mention has been a key member of the Eagles’ backfield this season, playing in all 20 games and making 15 starts, and registering 1,428 minutes, the second-most on the team this season. Her efforts have helped Emory record a goals-against average of 0.54 during the campaign. Meyer and the Eagles improved to 16-3-1 with the wins, advancing to the round of 16 of the NCAA Championships for the fourth-consecutive season.

Emory University senior center back Lauren Gorodetsky paced the eighth-ranked Eagles to a shutout win, while also scoring the game-winning goal and assisting on another during the team’s 3-0 win over 23rd-ranked Carnegie Mellon University on Saturday. The three points for the defender in the game led all University Athletic Association (UAA) players during the week. Gorodetsky scored her fourth goal of the season on a header in the 20th minute of play, giving the Eagles’ a 1-0 lead. She later assisted on Emory’s second goal of the contest, sending a long free kick into the box to setup the goal. Defensively, the senior played all 90 minutes and anchored a defense that held the Tartans to just six shots, including only one in the second half and just two on goal. Of her four goals this season, three have been game winners, and her 10 points are the fifth-most by an Eagle this season. Additionally, the two-time University Athletic Association (UAA) Most Valuable Player has been the leader of an Eagles’ defense that has recorded a 0.49 goals-against average and 10 shutouts, including five-straight clean sheets. Emory ended the regular season on a seven-game winning streak, finishing with a 14-3-1 record and a 6-1-0 mark in UAA contests.

Emory University freshman Hannah Meyer was the anchor of an Emory defense that recorded a pair of shutouts in University Athletic Association (UAA) games last weekend. Meyer was the only Emory position player to play all 180 minutes during the weekend, limiting the opposition to a combined 11 shots, just four of which were on goal. On Friday at the University of Rochester, the center back helped hold the Yellowjackets to two shots in the game, with just one on goal, during a 2-0 win. She followed that performance by helping Emory defeat Case Western Reserve University 1-0 on Sunday, allowing just nine total shots and three on goal to the Spartans. Meyer and the Emory defense have recorded four straight shutouts and nine overall this season, as the squad lowered its goals-against average to 0.52 in 2013. In addition, the Eagles have not allowed a goal in the last 438 minutes and 11 seconds, during which Meyer has played all but 32 minutes. Emory improved to 13-3-1 overall with the weekend wins, including a 5-1-0 mark in UAA games.

Emory University senior Kelly Costopoulos scored the game-winning goal during the eighth-ranked Eagles 1-0 win at Case Western Reserve University on Sunday. Costopoulos scored the game’s only goal striking for her fifth tally of the season in the 84th minute of the contest. It was the co-captain’s second game-winning goal of the season and her 11th career game-winning goal, the third most in the program’s history. The center midfielder finished Sunday’s contest with a game-high four shots. On Friday night, Costopoulos helped lead the Eagles to a 2-0 win at the University of Rochester, playing 75 minutes and taking one shot on goal. The Eagles improved to 5-1-0 in University Athletic Association (UAA) matches and to 13-3-1 overall with the weekend victories.

Emory University junior defender Kaelyn Lucas led the seventh-ranked Eagles’ defense to a shutout, while contributing on the offensive end as well, during the team’s 8-0 win over Agnes Scott College on Wednesday night. Lucas played all 90 minutes of the shutout, the team’s seventh of the season, holding the Scotties to just two shots and one shot on goal. The outside back and 2012 all-NCAA Tournament Team selection also assisted on a pair of goals during the game, including the game winner in the fourth minute and an insurance goal in the 14th minute. The assists were the first two of the season for Lucas, who has helped contribute to an Emory defense that has recorded a 0.58 goals-against average this season. Lucas and the Eagles improved to 11-3-1 in 2013 with the win on Wednesday.

Emory University junior Karina Rodriguez recorded the first ‘hat trick’ by an Eagle in over six years during the seventh-ranked squad’s 8-0 win over Agnes Scott College on Wednesday. Rodriguez opened the scoring for Emory in the fourth minute of action, scoring what would eventually be the game-winning goal. She added a goal in the 14th minute that extended the Eagles’ lead to 3-0, and completed her hat trick early in the second half, scoring in the 52nd minute to boost the Eagles’ advantage to 5-0. She finished the contest with a game-high eight shots, including five on goal, during her 42 minutes of action. The ‘hat trick’ was the 33rd in the program’s history, and the first since Jamie English scored three goals against the University of the South on September 16th, 2007. Rodriguez leads all Emory players this season with six goals, four assists and 16 points. She has helped the Eagles win nine of their last 10 games and four-straight contests to improve to 11-3-1 overall this season.

Emory University senior Lauren Drosick impacted the seventh-ranked Eagles on both sides of the field over two University Athletic Association (UAA) games during the weekend, leading the team to a pair of victories. During Friday’s 2-1 win over New York University, Drosick played all 90 minutes and helped limit the Violets to just three shots, all coming in the first half. The outside back also registered her first career goal during the game, scoring the eventual game winner in the 31st minute of action, when she converted a shot at the end of an impressive run into the 18-yard box. The senior returned to play 81 minutes of the Eagles’ 3-0 shutout win against Brandeis University on Sunday, holding the Judges to seven shots and three shots on goal during her time on the field. Drosick has one goal and two assists for four points this season, while also being a key contributor to a defense that has recorded six shutouts and a 0.62 goals-against average this season. The Eagles improved to 10-3-1 with the wins last weekend, including a 3-1-0 mark in UAA competition.

Emory University freshman Cristina Ramirez scored a key goal during the seventh-ranked Eagles’ 3-0 win over Brandeis University on Sunday afternoon. Ramirez extended Emory’s lead to 2-0 in the 82nd minute of the game, scoring her team-leading fourth goal of the season off an assist from Lauren Gorodetsky. She came off the bench in the contest to play 50 minutes, taking two shots, including one on goal. The forward also played 45 minutes off the bench during the Eagles’ 2-1 win over New York University on Friday, taking one shot during the game. Ramirez is tied for the team lead with four goals this season, and is fourth on the squad with eight points. With the two wins during the week, Emory improved to 10-3-1 for the year, including a 3-1-0 mark in University Athletic Association games.

Emory University sophomore goalkeeper Liz Arnold turned away all four shots she faced on Saturday to lead the eighth-ranked Eagles to a 2-0 road win against the University of Chicago. Arnold’s four saves, two of which came in the first four minutes of action, matched her career single-game high. She earned her second individual shutout of the season in the game, and her fifth combined shutout. Arnold earned the victory to improve to 7-2-1 for the season, while lowering her goals-against average to 0.53 and raising her save percentage to .839. With the win, Emory improved to 8-3-1 overall and to 1-1-0 in conference play, good for third-place in the University Athletic Association.

Emory University junior Jennifer Grant scored the game-winning goal during the eighth-ranked Eagles 2-0 win at the University of Chicago on Saturday afternoon. Grant broke a scoreless tie in the 52nd minute, scoring an unassisted goal, her first of the season. The midfielder was able to score after collecting the rebound off her own shot and placing into the back of the net for the goal. She finished the game with four shots, including a game-high three on goal. The goal was the fourth of the junior’s career. With the win, Grant and the Eagles improved to 8-3-1 overall and to 1-1-0 in conference play, good for third-place in the University Athletic Association.

Emory University senior Clare Mullins matched the program record for starts over a career during the team’s game against Washington University (Mo.) on Sunday. In the 1-0 loss to the third-ranked Bears, Mullins played 76 minutes, taking two shots, including one on goal. She also contributed defensively from the holding midfield position, helping the seventh-ranked Eagles outshoot Washington 15-10, including a 9-5 advantage in shots on goal. Sunday’s start was the 77th of Mullins’ career, matching Amy Williams’ (1994-97) program record. The senior has started every Emory game during her time with the team, and is now four games played shy of matching the school record. Mullins and the Eagles now stand at 7-3-1 for the 2013 campaign.

Emory University senior Lauren Drosick was a key member of the Eagles’ defense, which led the squad to a pair of wins last weekend. During Drosick’s 138 shutout minutes on the field over the two games, opponents did not register a shot on goal, taking just four total shots. On Saturday, the outside back helped the Eagles to a 5-0 win over Rhodes College, limiting the Lynx to just four shots in her 66 minutes of action, and taking one shot of her own. During the Eagles’ 3-1 win over Centre College on Sunday, Drosick assisted on the first goal of the game after a long run up field. Defensively, she held the Colonels’ without a goal on two off-target shots during her 72 minutes of play. The 2012 All-NCAA Tournament selection has been a leader on an Emory defense that has recorded an 0.67 goals-against average this season, while also registering a pair of assists for the campaign. Drosick and the ninth-ranked Eagles have now won five-straight games, and stand at 7-2-1 for the season.

Emory University junior Karina Rodriguez was involved in five of the eight goals recorded by the ninth-ranked Eagles last weekend, scoring two and assisting on three others during a pair of victories. On Saturday, Rodriguez helped lead Emory to a 5-0 victory, assisting on the team’s second goal of the game in the 29th minute, and scoring one of her own in the 90th minute. She led all players in the game with six shots and four shots on goal. During the team’s 3-1 win over Centre College on Sunday, a rematch of the NCAA Tournament Second Round match from the last two seasons, Rodriguez put the Eagles on the board in the 45th minute with the first goal of the game, and later assisted on the game winner in the 75th minute and an insurance goal in the 81st minute, both off corner kicks. Rodriguez is currently tied for the team lead with three assists, and second on the squad with seven points this season. Her efforts have helped the Eagles start the year with a 7-2-1 record, heading into UAA play next weekend.

Emory University senior defender Lauren Gorodetsky scored three goals and led the 10th-ranked Eagles to a pair of shutout victories over two games last week. Gorodetsky scored both goals on a pair of shots during the Eagles’ 2-0 win at Birmingham-Southern College on Friday night. She scored her first goal of the contest following a corner kick in the 70th minute, and then converted a free kick for a goal in the 90th minute. The center back also led an Eagles’ defense that limited the Panthers to just four shots in the game, only one of which was on goal. Gorodetsky scored another game-winning goal during Emory’s 2-0 win at Berry College on Sunday, heading in a corner kick in the eighth minute of action, while also helping hold the Vikings to one shot on goal, and seven total shots. Overall during the two games, the Emory defense allowed the squad to outshoot its opponents by a 44-11 margin, lowering the team’s season goals-against average to 0.71 with three shutouts. Gorodetsky, a three-time all-American and two-time University Athletic Association (UAA) Most Valuable Player, now has 10 career goals, six of which have been of the game-winning variety. Gorodetsky and the Eagles have won three-straight games, and now stand at 5-2-1 for the campaign.

Emory University senior Kelly Costopoulos scored a pair of goals, including the eventual game winner, during the 12th-ranked Eagles upset victory over fourth-ranked Lynchburg College. Costopoulos scored her first goal of the game in the 18th minute, converting a shot after a cross from Veronica Romero to give the team a 2-0 lead. In the second half, after the Hornets scored a goal in the 70th minute to bring the score to 2-1, the Eagles’ captain scored a key insurance goal to booster the Eagles’ advantage to 3-1. Her two goals scored in the game were only one less than Lynchburg had allowed in its first five games combined. Costopoulos led all Emory players in the game with six shots, including four on goal. Earlier in the week, the center attacking midfielder took one shot during a 1-0 loss to Division II Lee University on Friday. Costopoulos has a team-high three goals this season, and her 23 career goals are the eighth-most in school history. In addition, her 10 career game-winning goals are tied for the third most in the program’s annals. The Eagles now stand at 3-2-1 in 2013, and have gone undefeated in their last 25 home games, the 19th-longest streak in NCAA Division III history.

Emory University senior Lauren Gorodetsky played all 180 minutes on defense during of a pair of games last week, helping the 12th-ranked Eagles go 1-1-0, including an upset victory over fourth-ranked Lynchburg College on Sunday. Gorodetsky and the Eagles’ backline limited their two opponents to a combined two goals (one on a penalty kick and the other on a free kick), 22 shots and 10 shots on goal. During a 1-0 loss to NCAA Division II program Lee University, she helped the defense limit the higher-division program to 12 shots, including five on goal, with the lone goal in the contest coming on a penalty kick. On Sunday, the three-time all-American and two-time University Athletic Association (UAA) Most Valuable Player led Emory to a 3-1 win over the fourth-ranked Hornets, holding the team to one goal on 10 shots, just five of which were on goal. The Eagles have recorded a 0.93 goals-against average through their first six games of the 2013 season. Emory improved to 3-2-1 on the year with Sunday’s win, and extended its home undefeated streak to 25 games, the 19th-longest stretch in NCAA Division III history.

Emory University sophomore Liz Arnold played 110 scoreless minutes in goal over two games for the second-ranked Eagles last weekend. During a 2-0 loss at ninth-ranked Ithaca College on Saturday, Arnold entered the game in the second half and held the Bombers scoreless, converting one save in the effort. The goalkeeper followed that performance with 65 shutout minutes over the second half and overtime in a 0-0 double-overtime tie at SUNY Cortland on Sunday. In the game, she converted a career-high four saves. Arnold is now 1-0-1 on the season with a 0.41 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage, and has not allowed a goal in her last 178 minutes and 44 seconds of action. With the 0-1-1 week, the Eagles are now 2-1-1 during the 2013 campaign.

Emory University senior forward Veronica Romero scored the ‘golden goal’ to cap off the Eagles’ 2-1 double-overtime come-from-behind win at the University of Massachusetts Boston on Monday. Romero scored the ‘golden goal’ by chipping a shot over the goalkeeper on a one-on-one attempt with just 87 seconds remaining in the second overtime period. It was her first goal of the season, and first career ‘golden goal.’ Earlier in the game, Romero assisted on the game-tying goal, sending a perfect cross to the far post, where it was headed in by freshman Cristina Ramirez in the 80th minute, evening the game at a goal apiece. The senior finished the game with two shots, both on goal, over her 90 minutes played. Romero, a 2012 All-South Atlantic Region and All-UAA selection, helped the Eagles open the season with a 2-0-0 record, with both wins coming on the road.