For games through Monday, August 28
G - Ella Dederick - Washington State :: The keeper opened the season with a pair of key shutout performances as the Cougars battled Minnesota to a scoreless draw in the opener and then took a narrow 1-0 decision against Saint Mary's in the second. (Camarillo, CA)
G - Claire Howard - Montana :: She blanked Boise State in their opening match in which an own goal gave the Grizzlies the victory. The second weekend she earned another shutout in a 2-0 win against Air Force. (Santa Rosa, CA)
G - Isabel Jones - Gonzaga :: Allowed just two goals in the Bulldogs first four games for three wins and a draw, playing all but 12 minutes. She played most of their 4-0 win against South Dakota and then earned the shutout against Omaha in the 2-0 win on opening weekend. (Sandy, UT)
D - Madeline Gotta - Gonzaga :: A listed defender, she was much more involved in the attack for the new-look Bulldogs. She tallied two goals and an assist in three wins and a draw in their opening non-league affairs. Gotta set up the opening/winning goal in a 4-0 romp against South Dakota and tallied the second goal in a 2-0 win against Omaha the first weekend. The following week she scored the opening goal in a 2-1 win at Portland State. (San Diego, CA)
D - Taryn Miller (Spokane, WA) - Montana :: Tallied a goal and assist in the Grizzlies 4-1 victory against San Jose State on Sunday, two days after the Spartans topped Eastern Washington 3-0. The Montana defense has allowed three goals in four non-league games.
D - Ben White - Gonzaga :: The Bulldogs only have one official game in the books due to hurricane Harvey, but despite a last-minute travel change to visit Bradley instead of playing them in Texas at a tournament did not deter them from a positive result. The defender got a piece of two set pieces en route to goals to earn assists on both tallies in the 2-1 overtime victory. (Tigard, OR)
M - Madison Brownell (Selah, WA) - Walla Walla CC :: The Warriors dominated all three of their games with 4-0 results. She tallied the opening goal and set up the second in their first Starfire Friendly against Shoreline. She added another goal in their second Starfire contest against Green River.
M - Brenna Whitney (Warden, WA) - Wenatchee Valley College :: The Knights topped both Centralia and Grays Harbor 2-1 at the Starfire Friendlies with Whitney scoring three of the four goals. She tallied both in the opener and the game-winner in the second with four minutes remaining.
INWsn PLAYER OF THE WEEK :: F - Havana Johnson (Coeur d'Alene, ID) - McNeese State :: The freshman scored the lone goal off the bench in their opener against University of Louisiana-Monroe and then tallied both as a starter in a 2-0 win against UL-Lafayette, a pair of local foes that the Cowgirls lost against last year.
F - Kelsey Turnbow (Spokane, WA) - Santa Clara :: A regular tourney contender, the Broncos always face a tough slate and the freshman made an early impact for them. She tallied a goal and assist in their 4-2 loss to 7th-ranked UCLA and then tallied an assist on their 2-1 winner against Washington State.
* Combined list due to lack of men's games
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. 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) every Wednesday/Thursday during the college season.
###
