West Coast Conference contender Santa Clara kept pace with the other leaders early in the league with a 4-1 win against Saint Mary's on the weekend thanks to a big performance from Kelcie Hedge (Post Falls, ID) and Emilio Meraz-Rodriguez (Pasco, WA) was a superstar for Evergreen State as they posted a stunning 4-0 road win against fellow mid-table side Oregon Tech as the race for the Cascade Collegiate Conference postseason continues.
With a 1-0 lead Hedge set up what proved to be the game-winner and went on to score two goals of her own to ensure a win over a Gaels side that handed league-leading Pepperdine its only loss. The result moved the Broncos to 3-1, tied with three others a point behind 3-1-1 Pepperdine.
Sitting at the middle of the table and battling to stay in the top eight of the 14-team league, the Meraz-Rodriguez led the Geoducks to the big win over Oregon Tech to move to seventh in the table at 4-3-2. He scored the opening goal in the game and delivered a corner for the second. He then tallied two more to finish a hat-trick and lock up the result. It was the first time OIT had allowed more than two goals in league play.
The win pulled them within two points of Oregon Tech (5-4-1) and Providence (5-3-1) and a point in front of Carroll, which played to a draw at Providence on Monday. More importantly, they are four points clear of ninth-place Warner Pacific.
For games through Monday, October 15
WOMEN
G - Trisha Priest (Omak, WA) - Wenatchee Valley :: Made 13 saves in a 1-1 draw at Spokane that is believed to be the program's first ever point against the Bigfoot.
D - Payton Netz (Great Falls, MT) - Carroll :: Set up the opening goal and later scored in a 4-1 victory at Providence.
M - Taylor Boyer - Eastern Oregon :: Three goals and assist in an 8-0 win at Multnomah with just one goal coming before they went down to 10 players. She also scored the final goal in a 3-0 win at Warner Pacific. (Eugene, OR)
M - Jocelyn Cook-Cox (Spokane, WA) - College of Idaho :: Set up the opening goal of the game and scored the game-winner in overtime for a 3-2 win against Corban.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK :: M - Kelcie Hedge (Post Falls, ID) - Santa Clara :: Set up the second goal that proved to be the winner and tallied the next two as the Broncos posted a four goal lead in a 4-1 win against Saint Mary's.
M - Natalie Wright - Yakima Valley :: Scored the first two goals for the Yaks in their stunning 5-0 win against league leader Spokane. (Maple Valley, WA)
M/F - Allison Raniere - Eastern Washington :: Scored the second goal, which held as the winner, and set up the third and fifth goals in their program record 8-1 win against Idaho State. (Tucson, AZ)
F - Haley Berryman (Ephrata, WA) - Minot State :: Set up the opening goal in a 1-1 draw at Sioux Falls for Minot State and then tallied the opening goal in a 2-0 win at Southwest Minnesota.
F - Tiara Duford (Polson, MT) - Rocky Mountain :: Set up the game-winner in a 2-1 victory against Corban and tallied two goals in a 5-0 win against Northwest Christian.
F - Sahkora George (Spokane, WA) - North Idaho :: Scored the first two goals to break a stalemate in the second half at Wenatchee Valley for a 3-0 win to move into tie for first.
F - Makinzie Packwood (Clarkston, WA) - Central Washington :: Scored twice to rally the Wildcats into the lead in an eventual 3-2 overtime win at Saint Martin's.
MEN
G - Colin Houser (Boise, ID) - Edmonds :: Nine saves in a 1-0 win at Everett.
G - Marc Girones - Providence :: Made 11 saves in a 1-1 draw against Carroll. (Barcelona, Spain)
D - Jadon Bachtold - Whitman :: Led the Blues defense against unbeaten Willamette in not allowing a shot on goal until the Bearcats grabbed the 1-0 win in overtime and then tallied the opener and set up the second in a 5-0 win against Linfield. (Sisters, OR)
D - Luke Livingston (Spokane, WA) - Nebraska Wesleyan :: In addition to helping lead the defense to the shutout he set up the insurance goal in the 74th minute for a 2-0 win against Coe.
D - Hunter VanCleave (Missoula, MT) - CC Spokane :: Scored the equalizer with a header on a free kick and helped lead the defense in a 2-0 shutout against third place Wenatchee Valley.
M - Ben Bechor - College of Idaho :: Scored the opening two goals and set up the final one in a 4-1 win against Northwest Christian. (Modiin, Israel)
PLAYER OF THE WEEK :: M - Emilio Meraz-Rodriguez (Pasco, WA) - Evergreen State :: Scored three goals and set up the other in a 4-0 road win against Oregon Tech. This is his fourth Best XI selection of the year, third consecutive. It is also his second PotW selection this season.
M - Travis Swallow (Coeur d'Alene, ID) - Seattle Pacific :: Tallied a goal and the assist on the game-winner for the Falcons in a 4-2 win against Western Washington.
F - Gonzalo Frausto (Sunnyside, WA) - Columbia Basin :: Tallied the equalizer and set up the game-winner in the final five minutes of the first half to lead the Hawks to a 3-1 win at Blue Mountain.
F - Oscar Harding - Whitman :: Set up two goals on corners and tallied the final one as Whitman cruised to a 5-0 win against Linfield. (Seattle, WA)
F - Edwin Romero (Walla Walla, WA) - Walla Walla CC :: Scored the first three goals in what was a close contest until he scored the second and third in the second half en route to a 4-0 win at Blue Mountain.
About INWsn Best XI: Each week INWsoccernews will release lists of the week’s best performances for men’s and women’s soccer in the region, recognizing players at schools in the region or those from the area that play elsewhere in the nation. The list is extremely flexible and has no defined formation, despite featuring 11 players (when number of results/games allow). The Best XI was launched with the start of the site's collegiate coverage in 2012, continued through 2014 and was re-launched in 2017 after a two-year absence. The list is issued (typically) Tue-Wed during the college season.
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