Women's Soccer

SDSU’s Hansen, Denver’s Arrazola collect TicketSmarter #SummitWSOC weekly honors

South Dakota State, Denver takes home seasons first weekly awards

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Following their performances in the opening weekend of the 2021 season, South Dakota State forward Maya Hansen and Denver goalkeeper Nerea Arrazola were named the TicketSmarter Summit League Women’s Soccer Players of the Week. Hansen collected the offensive accolade, while Arrazola earned the defensive honor, league officials announced Monday.

Hansen had an impressive opening weekend, tallying eight points in two matches with five shots on goal in a pair of Jackrabbit victories. The Savage, Minn., native recorded two goals on a game-high six shots and was responsible for the game-winning goal in a 4-1 season-opening win over Augustana. In SDSU's second match of the opening weekend, Hansen assisted on a pair of first-half goals and scored a goal in the second half during a 3-1 triumph over UTRGV.
 
Arrazola made five saves in a 5-0 home victory against Air Force to open the season and added another save in a 1-0 extra time victory over Colorado State, helping the Pioneers secure the Colorado Cup title. She played all 182 minutes between the pipes in DU's two clean sheets.
  
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Maya Hansen, South Dakota State
Jr. | F | Savage, Minn.
  • Tallied a team-high eight points, netting three goals and adding two assists in a pair of Jackrabbit victories
  • Recorded her second multi-goal game of her career on a game-high six shots in the season-opening win against Augustana
  • Scored a goal and assisted on two more in a 3-1 victory against UTRGV
  • This is the second career Summit League weekly honor for Hansen
Also nominated: Hannah Olson (North Dakota), Sydney Sharp (Denver), Pamela Caballeros (Oral Roberts), Maliah Atkins (South Dakota)
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nerea Arrazola, Denver
R-Jr. | GK | Issaquah, Wash.
  • Kept two clean sheets en route to helping Denver claim the Colorado Cup title over the opening weekend
  • Made five saves in the Pioneers’ win against Air Force and one save in a 1-0 extra-time win against Colorado State
  • This is the second career Summit League weekly accolade for Arrazola
Also nominated: Madi Livingston (North Dakota). Jocelyn Tanner (South Dakota State), Louisa Ramsauer (Oral Roberts), Caroline Lewis (South Dakota)
 
2021 Women’s Soccer Players of the Week
August 23
O: Maya Hansen, South Dakota State
D: Nerea Arrazola, Denver

#SummitWSOC