PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Four American Athletic Conference Players were honored with Player of the Week accolades for the sixth week of the 2015 women's soccer season. SMU redshirt-freshman Vanessa Valadez was selected as the Offensive Player of the Week. Two USF players earned weekly honors, as Jackie Simpson was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week and Kat Elliott acquired her third Goalkeeper of the Week award in 2015. Freshman defender Catherine Levasseur from Memphis was named Rookie of the Week.  
 
Valadez combined for six points on the weekend, with one goal in SMU’s 2-2 (2OT) draw with Cincinnati on Friday, and both goals in the Mustangs’ 2-1 win over East Carolina on Sunday. In Friday’s match she gave SMU a 2-1 lead in the 72^nd minute, before the Bearcats evened the score in the 89^th minute. The forward notched her first goal on Sunday in the 14^th minute, before netting the game-winner in the final minute against the Pirates. Valadez now leads the team and ranks third in the conference in goals, with seven on the season.
 
Simpson led No. 24/NR USF to the team’s 1-0 victory against No. 20/25 UConn on Thursday night. The Bulls’ senior defender scored in the 79^th minute, lifting the team to its conference-opening win and a 6-5-2 lead in the all-time series against the Huskies. Simpson also headed a backline that allowed zero goals over the weekend.
 
Elliott earned her third weekly honor after she tallied two shutout conference wins with a total of 10 saves over the weekend. The sophomore set a career-high with eight saves against No. 20/25 UConn on Thursday. Elliott leads the conference in saves (42) and ranks second in shutouts (5).
 
Levasseur was a member of the Tigers’ defense that posted two shutouts over the weekend. Memphis held RV/NR Tulsa to just three shots on goal in the teams’ first conference matchup of the season. The freshman defender also assisted on the game-winning goal in Sunday’s 1-0 win over Gonzaga, as Memphis finished nonconference play with a 5-3-1 (.611) record.
 


Weekly Honors
 
Offensive Player of the Week
Vanessa Valadez, SMU, RS-Fr., F
 
Defensive Player of the Week
Jackie Simpson, USF, Sr., D
 
Goalkeeper of the Week
Kat Elliott, USF, So., GK
 
Rookie of the Week
Catherine Levasseur, Memphis, Fr., D
 


Honor Roll
 
Kayla Adamek, UCF, RS-So., M/F
Lifted the Knights to their 1-0 win over Temple, marking the team’s third straight conference-opening win; assisted with UCF’s first goal of the match against No. 20/25 UConn on Sunday.
 
Vera Varis, UCF, Fr., GK
Earned her second shutout of the year and tallied five saves over the weekend, including four against No. 20/25 UConn.
 
Jaycie Brown, Cincinnati, So., M
Notched both goals for the Bearcats in their 2-2 (2OT) comeback draw against SMU, aiding the team to its first unbeaten opening weekend for conference play since 2002.
 
Maryse Bard-Martel, Memphis, Jr., GK
Posted two shutouts and combined for six saves in 211:20 minutes of play for the Tigers over the weekend.
 
Leticia Skeete, USF, Jr., D
Scored the game-winning goal to boost the Bulls to a 1-0 win over Temple and a 2-0 record in conference play.