University of Massachusets Athletics
Widdall & MacDonnell Sweep A-10 Weekly Awards
October 05, 2010 | Field Hockey
Oct. 5, 2010
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass swept this week's Atlantic 10 field hockey awards with junior goalkeeper Alesha Widdall being named A-10 Player of the Week and freshman forward Molly MacDonnell taking Rookie of the Week honors. Widdall made 11 saves to earn the shutout and MacDonnell scored her first career goal in the Minutewomen's 2-0 victory over No. 8 Syracuse on Sunday at Garber Field.
Widdall's performance also earned her UMass Co-Athlete of the Week honors with football's Tyler Holmes.
Widdall and MacDonnell helped lead UMass to its first victory over Syracuse since 1998, breaking a string of 12-straight Orange victories in the series. It is the second win for UMass this season against a top 10 team (1-0 vs. No. 4 UConn, Sept. 11).
The junior netminder from Whitney Point, N.Y. stopped a season-high 11 shots against the Orange, many in spectacular fashion, including a diving save on a penalty stroke with just 2:11 remaining to keep the shutout. It was Widdall's third shutout of the season and 16th of her career. The win moved her into second-place among all active players nationally in career save percentage (.789), and she ranks sixth this season (.816).
MacDonnell, a forward from Clifton, Va., blasted a shot through the legs of Syracuse goalie Leann Stiver for her first career goal, coming with 17:17 left in the game by No. 17. The freshman also played a key role in the UMass press that kept the Orange defenders under pressure throughout the game.
Widdall is the second UMass player to be named A-10 Player of the Week this season (Katie Kelly, 9/14) and MacDonnell is the second Rookie of the Week for the Minutewomen (Lindsay Bowman, 9/14).
