GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced its weekly awards after the first weekend of competition to begin the 2021 women's soccer season. Northern Michigan senior midfielder Caroline Halonen earned GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week accolades, while Grand Valley State sophomore Cate Brown claimed GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Caroline Halonen - Northern Michigan
Northern Michigan University Women's Soccer senior midfielder Caroline Halonen did not waste any time in collecting more hardware as she has been named the first Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Offensive Player of the Week of the 2021 season, the conference announced Monday. In a 3-0 win over St. Cloud State University on Thursday, Halonen notched a goal for the Wildcats. The Hartland, Mich. native had another excellent performance on Saturday when she scored two goals and dished out two assists in a 5-1 rout of visiting University of Minnesota-Duluth. Halonen is currently third in program history in multiple-assist matches (3), tied for fourth in assists (14), fifth in career assists (12) and in career points (64), sixth in career goals (25), tied for sixth in career game-winning goals (6), tied for fifth in game-winning goals with (5), and is ninth in career goals (20).
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Cate Brown - Grand Valley State
Grand Valley State sophomore defender Cate Brown has been named the first GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week for the 2021 fall season. Brown was instrumental at center back, logging 150 minutes across two shutout wins against quality regional opponents including a nationally-ranked Findlay team. Brown was vital in ball-stopping, marking and distribution from the back line while also playing a key role in the offensive attack as the primary taker of set pieces while on the field. Her corner kick insert set up the Lakers first goal of the season Thursday night as the game-winner in a 4-0 win over Lindenwood, a game in which Brown led all Laker field players in minutes.
HONORABLE MENTION
OFFENSE: Kennedy Bearden (GVSU), Juliana Paoletti (NU), Amy Babon (SVSU), Isabella Zamborini (FSU), Grace Shaw (MTU),
DEFENSE: Jane Stinson (NU), Sara Samolinski (SVSU), Shenae Kreps (NMU), Darya Mosallaei (FSU), Gracie VanLangevelde (MTU),
