IWLCA Players of the Week – April 12, 2022

The IWLCA has chosen eight student-athletes for the IWLCA Player of the Week awards for the week ending April 10, 2022. This weekly award recognizes the best offensive and defensive performances by players in Division I, II, III, and the NAIA each week during the regular season.

Offensive Player of the Week

Lauren Gilbert – Northwestern University

Gilbert registered a career-high nine points on a career-best eight goals and one assist in No. 3 Northwestern’s 21-13 win over No. 15 Rutgers. The single-game goal mark is tied for the fifth highest in Division I this season and the highest mark in the Big Ten. The eight-goal performance is also tied for tenth most in a single-game in program history. Northwestern is now 12-2 on the season and undefeated in conference play (4-0). 

Defensive Player of the Week

Emily Sterling – University of Maryland

Sterling led a dominant defensive effort in the goal in a 13-6 win over Penn State. The junior tallied a career-best 13 saves with only six goals allowed, registering a .684 save percentage. The matchup was her third straight game giving up less than six goals and having over a .667 save percentage. Sterling held the Nittany Lions to a season-low six goals on 23 shots, notching eight saves to only two goals allowed in the second half. Sterling currently leads the country in save percentage (.560) and goals against average (7.23). She also backlines a defense only allowing 7.33 goals per game, the second-best mark in the country. Maryland is now 11-1 on the season and improved to a No. 8 ranking in this week’s ILWomen/IWLCA Division I poll.

Offensive Player of the Week

Kyleigh Masteran – Queens University of Charlotte

Masteran helped the No. 1 Royals continue their undefeated season, totaling 18 points on 13 goals and five assists in wins over Belmont Abbey and Lincoln Memorial. The midfielder totaled seven goals and two assists in Queens' 27-3 win at home over the Crusaders before tallying six goals and three assists in the 25-5 win over the Railsplitters on the road. Masteran set a new single-season goal record at Queens in the win over LMU, reaching an impressive 61 goals this season.

Defensive Player of the Week

Jessica Gorr – West Chester University

Gorr had an outstanding week in goal for No. 7 West Chester, delivering a pair of 15-save performances in a 2-0 week for the Golden Rams. The junior started her week at No. 12 Mercy, where she made 15 saves and came away with eight ground balls in the 21-12 road victory. Against Shippensburg, Gorr duplicated her save performance from earlier in the week, ending the day with 15 saves in addition to a pair of ground balls en route to a 21-9 road victory over the PSAC East rival. With the wins, West Chester improved to 9-1 overall and 6-1 in the PSAC.

Offensive Player of the Week

Christine Taylor – Trinity College

Taylor had three goals and two assists in a 13-7 win over Connecticut College. She notched six goals with two more assists in a 16-14 victory against No. 14 Bowdoin. Taylor scored the first goal of the game against the Polar Bears in a game that the Bantams led wire-to-wire and added a ground ball, a caused turnover, and three draw controls. Trinity is currently 7-3 and ranked No. 16 in the IWLacrosse/IWLCA Division III poll.

Defensive Player of the Week

Cammie Lavoie – Bates College

Lavoie matched her career-high with 13 saves and posted a season-best .520 save percentage in a 13-12 win over No. 12 Hamilton. The junior goalie also recorded three ground balls in the matchup. Against rival No. 14 Bowdoin on the road, she recorded nine saves.

Offensive Player of the Week

Morgan McGhee – Reinhardt University

McGhee had a strong offensive performance in Reinhardt’s 25-8 win over Montreat. The senior registered four goals, seven assists, four ground balls and six draw controls. Reinhardt improved to 10-2 overall and 6-1 in the Appalachian Athletic Conference.  

Defensive Player of the Week

Katelynn Gray – Marian University

Gray led Marian with 12 draw controls and seven caused turnovers in a two-game week for the Knights. The junior registered nine ground balls and four goals on the week as well. Gray’s performance earned her the Mid-South Defensive Player of the Week honor.