The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Soccer’s Smith reaps CollegeSoccer360.com weekly accolades
10.21.2015 | Soccer
Senior goalkeeper made 10 vital saves during a 2-1 (2OT) road upset of No. 17 Texas Tech on Oct. 16
AUSTIN, Texas – Add another accolade to an already lengthy list for Texas senior goalkeeper Abby Smith as the Plano, Texas, native has been included as part of CollegeSoccer360.com's Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll (No. 9 – Oct. 21).
Already tabbed as the Big 12 Conference's Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season on Oct. 19, Smith was truly at her best during a thrilling 2-1 (2OT) upset of No. 17 Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, last Friday night.
The 5-9 net minder made 10 vital saves between the pipes and even registered her first career assist on junior forward Jasmine Hart's match-winning goal with 21 seconds remaining in the second OT session. She saved the Horns on more than one occasion, delivering diving fingertip saves, on shots by Caity Heap (48:30) and Brooke Denesik (86:06), to force each just wide of the left post. On Hart's decisive match-winner, Smith unleashed a drop-kick from the top of her defensive 18 that located senior midfielder Lindsey Meyer well past midfield. Meyer's header forward traveled straight to Hart on a bounce and was finished into the upper right corner of the net from 18 yards.
Smith enters this weekend's action at Mike A. Myers Stadium against Oklahoma (Fri., Oct. 23, 6 p.m. CT) and Baylor (Sun., Oct. 25, 4 p.m. CT) tied for the Texas career record with 29 shutouts, needing just one blanking to break the school mark held by former Longhorns goalkeeper Dianna Pfenninger (2005-08).
CS360 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll #9 Division I Women
(presented by CollegeSoccer360.com … for the week of Oct. 12–18, 2015)
* LAINEY BURDETT (Arizona … G … Fr. … Las Vegas, NV … #1)
– Platoon starter who delivered in 1–0 win at [18] Washington State (9 saves; defensed 25 total shots & 6 corner kicks).
LINDSAY BURNS (Baylor … D … Jr. … Yakima, WA … #12)
– Hard-nosed marking back who led defense during 1–0 win over [40] Oklahoma and intense 1–1 game vs. [20] Texas Tech.
TAYLOR ELLIOTT (Vanderbilt … F … 5th-Yr.-Sr. … Massapequa, NY … #7)
– Surging 5th-year player who had 1G–1A in 2–1 OT game vs. [12] South Carolina (3G in 2015; 1G from 2011–14).
CHRISTINA GIBBONS (Duke … D … Jr. … Raleigh, NC … #31)
– Rose to challenge in her first center back start of season, helping limit rival [6] UNC to 4 SOG & 4 CKs in 1–0 road win.
JESSICA HISKEY (Mississippi … D … Sr. … Franklin, TN … #15)
– Converted midfielder who anchored defense from her center back spot in 2–0 win over [13] Auburn.
EMMA KAHN (Western Michigan … F … So. … Mt. Pleasant, MI … #6)
– Offensive sparkplug who scored in wins over both MAC division leaders (2–0 vs, Miami Ohio; 2–1 vs. Ball State).
HAYLEY KATKOWSKI (Rutgers … DM … Sr. … Westford, MA … #11)
– Mainstay at holding mid. who helped deliver pair of shutout wins: 2–0 vs. [34] Ohio State and 1–0 vs. [3] Penn St. (assist).
McKENNA MEUER (Wisconsin … M … Sr. … Madison, WI … #5)
– Scored to spark 3–2 comeback win vs. [39] Michigan, w/ assist in 1–0 vs. [49] Michigan State for B1G-leading Badgers.
JILL MULHOLLAND (Hofstra … M … Sr./Jr. … Levittown, NY … #5)
– Scored both goals in 2–1 win at CAA favorite/defending champs [45] Northeastern, boosting Pride atop league standings.
JEN NANCE (UMBC … G … Sr. … Millersville, MD … #1)
– Made 6 saves while defensing 7 corner kicks, in hue 2–0 Senior Day win over America East fav./leader New Hampshire
LINA PROSKA (G. Washington … DM … Jr. … Chatham, NJ … #23)
– Led midfield domination during 2–0 win at fellow A–10 frontrunner VCU (1A), also helping GW post 1–0 win at Richmond.
* JESSICA RAYBE (Arizona State … F … So. … Lodi, CA … #9)
– Scored early and later set up decisive PK in OT, as ASU picked up much-needed quality road win: 2–1 at [15] Washington.
ABBY SMITH (Texas … G … Sr. … Plano, TX … #1)
– Racked up 10 saves in frenetic game while providing drop-kick assist in closing seconds of OT: 2–1 vs. [20] Texas Tech
TAYLOR STEVENS (Murray State … M … Sr. … Fort Wayne, IN … #21)
– Had 1G–1A in both games, as Racers posted road wins vs. fellow OVC contenders: 2–0 at Morehead & 2–1 at Tenn. Tech.
SAMANTHA WITTEMAN (California … F/M … Sr. … Redondo Beach, CA … #26)
– Scored in 1–0 Bay Area rivalry win vs. [16] Santa Clara, then assisted on both goals in 2-0 victory over Utah.
* – Raybe is the CS360 National Primetime Player of the Week and Burdett the CS360 National Freshman of the Week
