Richmond’s Blessing Selected as Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – George Mason senior Sarah Hardison was named the Atlantic 10 Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, while Duquesne sophomore Kyra Murphy and La Salle junior Larisa Zambelli shared the league’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week award. Richmond freshman Carlie Blessing was selected as the A-10 Rookie of the Week. The awards, announced Monday, are for games played Sept. 26 – Oct. 2.

Hardison scored all three goals for the Patriots in two conference wins during the week. She netted the lone goal in the Patriots’ 1-0 win over St. Bonaventure on a header inside the box on Thursday. The forward from Hamilton, Va., then followed that with two goals in a span of 3:17 early in the second half in Mason's 2-1 victory over Dayton on Sunday. Four of Hardison's seven goals this season have been the first goal of the game for Mason.

A goalkeeper, Murphy made an incredible 15 saves to lead Duquesne to a 2-0 start to conference play. She made a season-high 10 saves at VCU, allowing just one goal in a 3-1 win. In the Dukes’ league opener on Thursday, she tallied five saves against Richmond in her third solo shutout of season. The efforts of the Canonsburg, Pa., native led Duquesne to its first 2-0 league start since 2010.

Zambelli tallied two shutouts this week, keeping UMass and Davidson out of the net for a combined 216:24 as the Explorers went to double overtime twice in a 1-0-1 week to start A-10 play. The goalkeeper from Deer Park, N.Y., recorded eight saves on the week, four against the Minutewomen on Thursday and four more against Davidson Sunday.  

Blessing, a goalkeeper from Moorestown, N.J., played 156 shutout minutes this week for the Spiders, finishing with a 1-0 record in goal. In UR's 1-0 loss to Duquesne on Thursday night, the freshman entered after 24 minutes, logging four saves and holding the Dukes scoreless for the remainder of the game. On Sunday, Blessing started for the Spiders and posted five saves in a 1-0 win over UMass in her second shutout of the season. 

2016 Women’s Soccer Weekly Awards