Cowgirls to Battle UNLV at Mountain West Tournament

McDowell named First Team All-Conference, Paul named to Second Team

 

LARAMIE, Wyo. (Nov. 3, 2013) -- The University of Wyoming women’s soccer team will take on UNLV in the first of two first-round matches in the Mountain West Conference tournament Monday in Albuquerque, N.M., at the UNM Soccer Complex. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. MT. The Cowgirls will be looking for their first postseason win since 2011, when they won twice before falling in the championship match to New Mexico, 2-0.

Senior forward Lucie McDowell was the lone Cowgirl named First Team All-Conference by the MW head coaches in a poll released Sunday. She is third in the conference with nine goals and 21 points. McDowell was a second team pick by College Sports Madness last season. Despite leading the MW in assists with seven and recording six goals on the season, junior forward Sara Paul was named to the second team. Paul was a College Madness first team selection a year ago and the 2011 Freshman of the Year.

Upon completion of conference play, the Cowgirls ranked among the best in conference in several major categories including points, goals, goals per game, assists, assists per game and shots. UW tied with San Diego State with 78 total points for the conference lead and was first overall with 30 goals and 1.50 goals per game. Wyoming’s  18 assists and 0.90 per game put them fourth best, while UW’s 236 shots on the season also was fourth in the MW. As a team, the Cowgirls outshot their opponents 236-213 but were outscored 31-30.

Individually, two Cowgirls finished the season in double-figure scoring including McDowell and Paul. McDowell led UW in scoring with 21 points, scoring nine goals and assisting on three others. She also took 45 shots on the season, No. 11 in Cowgirl single-season history. McDowell’s nine goals also ties her for the fourth most in a single season.

Paul is second in scoring with 19 points, scoring six goals and assisting on seven. Her seven assists rank fourth in single-season UW history.

On Monday, the Cowgirls will play UNLV for the second time this season. The Rebels defeated Wyoming 3-2 in overtime on Oct. 27 in Laramie. UNLV (10-8-2, 5-5-0 MW) has won three straight, most recently beating Air Force 3-1 and defeating Nevada in double overtime Friday night, 2-1. The Rebels have outscored their opponents 27-25 and outshot them 246-219. Senior Jenn Wolfe leads UNLV in scoring with 19 total points, scoring six goals and assisting on seven. Kylie Wassell has played every minute in goal for UNLV allowing 25 goals for a goals-against average of 1.18 and has made 79 saves.

The winner of this first-round match will move on to play third-seeded Boise State on Tuesday at 4 p.m. MT.

 

2013 Mountain West Women’s Soccer All-Conference First Team

Brooke Heidemann, So., MF, Boise State

Kathy Oehring, Sr., MF, Boise State

Morgan Castain, Sr., F, Fresno State

Katie DeVault, Jr., GK, Fresno State

Victoria Barba, So., MF, San Diego State

Kelsey Booth, Jr., MF/F, San Diego State

Carli Johnson, Sr., D, San Diego State

Hannah Keane, Jr., F, San Diego State

Haley Palmer, Sr., D, San Diego State

Jenn Wolfe, Sr., F, UNLV

Jenn Flynn, Sr., F, Utah State

Lucie McDowell, Sr., F, Wyoming

 

2013 Mountain West Women’s Soccer All-Conference Second Team

Mikhalia Bowden, Jr., D, Boise State

Maddie McDevitt, Jr., GK, Boise State

Ariana Holmes, Fr., D, Fresno State

Lindsey Guice, So., MF, New Mexico

Liz Nare, Sr., D, New Mexico

Dylan O’Connor, So., MF, New Mexico

Brianna Webster, Sr., MF/D, New Mexico

Brooke Larson-Leavitt, Jr., D, Utah State

Taryn Rose, Jr., D, Utah State

Sara Paul, Jr., F, Wyoming

Offensive Player of the Year: Morgan Castain, Sr., F, Fresno State

Defensive Player of the Year: Haley Palmer, Sr., D, San Diego State

Freshman of the Year: Ariana Holmes, Fr., D, Fresno State

Coach of the Year: Brian Zwaschka, Fresno State