Monday, September 21, 2009

MACON, Ga. - UNF’s Katelin Swift earned her second A-Sun Player of the Week honor of 2009 with a five-point weekend and Mercer’s Patricia-Anne Upson capture defensive conference honors.

UNF’s Swift, a senior forward, posted two goals and an assist to propel her to the A-Sun scoring lead. In the Ospreys' four-goal win against The Citadel, Swift, a Jacksonville, Fla. native, recorded two goals on two shots in the UNF Hampton Inn Ponte Vedra Showcase on Sunday afternoon. The Education major leads the conference in points, goals and goals per-game.

Upson picked up Atlantic Sun Defensive Player of the Week honors after the Bears posted two wins. The freshman defender provided stellar play in the back helping Mercer yield only one goal in two victories this past weekend against Georgia Southern and Georgia State. Mercer gave up one goal and nine shots on goal in nearly 193 minutes of weekend play. The Bears shut out the Eagles, 2-0, in Statesboro and defeated high-scoring Georgia State at home, 2-1, in double overtime. Upson also contributed with the game-winning assist against the Panthers.

The Atlantic Sun Conference is an 11-member league committed to Building Winners for Life. The A-Sun stands for achievement with integrity in both the academic and athletic arenas, with a focus on the balance between the two for our student-athletes. Headquartered in Macon, Ga., the A-Sun boasts six of the top eight media markets in the Southeast. The A-Sun includes a blend of the most prestigious and dynamic private and public institutions in the region: Belmont University, Campbell University, East Tennessee State University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Jacksonville University, Kennesaw State University, Lipscomb University, Mercer University, University of North Florida, University of South Carolina Upstate and Stetson University.

Other Top Performers
Lauren Paynter, Belmont (Fr. - F - Danville, Ky. - Nursing) -- Paynter netted the first hat trick for a Bruin in the 2009 campaign against Alabama A&M. Her trio of goals, in only 23 minutes of action, helped Belmont break a progam record that stood since 1999 for most goals in a single game with its tally of 10.

Caitlin Dingle, Kennesaw State (Sr. - F - Rockdale, Ga. - English) -- After being out last season due to injury, Dingle is slowly getting back into things and proved why she was the 2008 A-Sun Preseason Player of the Year, scoring two goals against Alabama? A&M on Sunday.

Ali Meek, Mercer (So. - MF - Canton, Ga. - Undeclared) -- Meek led Mercer to a 2-0 shutout victory over Georgia Southern in Statesboro on Friday. The sophomore assisted Kaelyn Horton for the Bears' first score. It was Meek's first assist of the season. Later in the first half, Meek scored her second goal of the year off a rebound shot to give Mercer a 2-0 advantage. Meek is third on the team in goals scored (two), total points (five), shots (10) and shots on goal (five).

Bridget Gaughan, Kennesaw State (Sr. - D - Marietta, Ga. - Nursing) -- Gaughan helped the Owls pick up their second shutout of the season and hold Alabama A&M to just one shot in the first period. She helped the Owls get their third win of the year.

Ashley Wagner, Campbell (Jr. - D - Cincinnati - Business Administration) -- Wagner assisted on both goals for CU in two games last week to push her A-Sun leading total to four assists on the year. She set up CU's goal in a 3-1 loss at Longwood on Wednesday, then provided the pass that led to Tove Nordlander's goal in Saturday's 1-0 victory over High Point. Through eight games, Wagner has already doubled her career assists total (two) for her first two varsity seasons while playing primarily at the left back position.