IWLCA Players of the Week – April 30, 2024

NORTHBOROUGH, MASS. – The IWLCA has chosen eight student-athletes for the IWLCA Player of the Week awards for the week ending April 21, 2024. This weekly award recognizes the best offensive and defensive performances by players in Division I, II, and III.

Offensive Player of the Week

Kayla Martello – Boston College

Martello had a strong week, contributing significantly to the Eagles' 3-0 record en route to securing a second consecutive Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) title. The attacker led the team with 11 goals and was second in points with 12. She boasted a .733 shot percentage and an .800 shot-on-goal percentage. Martello's standout performance came in the ACC championship game against top-seeded and No. 4 Syracuse, where she scored a game-high six goals on six shots, adding one assist for a total of seven points in the 15-8 victory. Four of her goals came in the second half, driving the offense to outscore Syracuse 8-1. This marked the highest point total in an ACC title game since 2022 and set a career-high for Martello in both points and goals. She also secured a hat trick in the first-round victory over Duke and scored twice in the 9-7 win against No. 2 Notre Dame. Notably, BC triumphed over two of the top four teams in the country during the past week.

Defensive Player of the Week

Sophia Cardello – Rutgers University

In a crucial matchup against No. 7 Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament, Cardello showcased her defensive prowess by producing a season-high 15 saves, along with three ground balls and a caused turnover. Her exceptional defense played a pivotal role in Rutgers' narrow 9-8 victory, which allowed them to advance to the Big Ten Semifinals. Along with her teammates, Cardello’s impact at goalie helped hold Maryland to its lowest goal total of the season.

Co-Offensive Player of the Week

Hannah Stanislawczyk – West Chester University

Stanislawczyk scored 16 goals and assisted on two others for 18 points in a pair of wins last week. She also added six ground balls, eight draw controls and one caused turnover. She was also 6-for-9 on free position attempts. Stanislawczyk scored six goals and finished with eight points in a critical win over No. 11 East Stroudsburg University. She scored five straight goals, allowing WCU to open up a 10-7 lead in the third quarter. Against Shepherd, Stanislawczyk scored a career-high 10 goals on 11 shots. She also had six draw controls in the game.

Co-Offensive Player of the Week

Sophi Wrisk – University of Tampa

Wrisk tallied five goals off six shots in a home win to help No. 5 Tampa advance to the Sunshine State Conference (SSC) Championship. Tampa defeated Saint Leo University, 17-13. Five of her six shots landed on frame and she also had two groundballs and a caused turnover. In the SSC Championship victory over No. 4 Florida Southern College, Wrisk tallied three goals on eight shots. She also had three groundballs and one caused turnover. Wrisk was named the SSC Tournament Most Outstanding Player for her performance.

Defensive Player of the Week

Samantha Tanguay – Pace University

In the matchup against No. 23 Saint Anselm, Tanguay showcased her defensive strengths by shutting out the opposing team in the second and fourth quarters, contributing to Pace's victory. She made seven crucial saves in this game. Against No. 18 Bentley, Tanguay allowed eight goals and made nine saves. Throughout the week, Tanguay boasted a 53.3% save percentage, making a total of 16 saves on 30 shots.

Co-Offensive Player of the Week

Rosanna Espinosa-Ponce – Greensboro College

The junior midfielder from Winston-Salem totaled 15 goals, one assist, 11 draw controls, 11 ground balls, and eight caused turnovers as the Pride posted a 2-0 record last week. In a 12-6 win over Warren Wilson College, Espinosa-Ponce scored nine goals with eight ground balls, seven draw controls, and six caused turnovers. In a 12-8 victory over USA South rival William Peace University, Espinosa-Ponce totaled six goals, one assist, four draw controls, three ground balls, and two caused turnovers. The nine goals versus Warren Wilson match her career-high goals in a game.

Co-Offensive Player of the Week

Hope Shue – Middlebury College

Shue played a crucial role in leading the undefeated and top-ranked Middlebury Panthers to victories over No. 16 Williams College and No. 13 Amherst College. In the matchup against Williams College, Shue led the Panthers in scoring by contributing four out of the team's 12 goals. Against Amherst, Shue achieved three season highs. She tallied a season-high of five assists, nine points, and six draw controls, leading Middlebury to a commanding 21-4 win. Additionally, Shue's outstanding performance helped her move into third place in Middlebury's career goal list with 195 goals and fifth place with 243 career points. She also collected a season-best six draw controls during the win, earning a spot on the top-10 list with 132 in her career.

Defensive Player of the Week

Molly Green – Rowan University

Despite a loss to No. 9 TCNJ, Green stood out by scoring a team-high four goals and contributing two ground balls, two caused turnovers, and six draw controls. Additionally, she posted two goals and an assist in a big win against Montclair State University, securing the second seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament. Throughout the week, Green's defensive impact was evident as she amassed impressive statistics, including nine ground balls, six caused turnovers, and 11 draw controls. Notably, her four caused turnovers against Montclair set a Rowan single-season record, surpassing the previous mark of 40 set in 2006.