Date Posted: 10/10/2005

Macon, Ga. – Belmont’s defensive style of soccer resulted in a pair of key Atlantic Sun Conference victories last week and helped Anna Holt and Micaela Crowley earn Player of the Week honors as announced by the league office.

The Bruins had dropped three one-goal matches earlier in the new head coach Lisa Howe’s first season in Nashville and faced a prospect of falling into a deep hole in the conference standings after an 0-3-0 start in the league. However, Belmont snapped Kennesaw State’s nine-match unbeaten streak on Thursday and followed that up on Saturday by halting ETSU’s win streak at three matches.

Crowley recorded 18 saves in the victory against Kennesaw State to give the Owls their first conference loss of the season. Her 18 saves are the most in the A-Sun this season and the second-best total in the NCAA. Crowley continued to turn away shots in Saturday's game against ETSU. Crowley recorded three saves and her second shutout of the season in the Bruin's 2-0 victory over the Bucs, who had previously scored 12 goals in their last three games. Crowley is a sophomore Audio/Video Production major from Hoover, Ala.

Holt scored in both of Belmont's victories this week, notching the game-winning goal in both matches for the Bruins. Her goal against Kennesaw State came just inside of five minutes remaining in the game off an assist from Kari Lennon. It catapulted the Bruins over the Owls 2-1. The freshman scored the first goal in the Belmont’s 2-0 victory over ETSU Saturday. The Nashville native has not declared her major yet.

The Atlantic Sun Conference hands out offensive and defensive Player of the Week awards weekly during the 2005 soccer campaign.

The 11-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Florida Atlantic, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, North Florida and Stetson.