PITMAN --- The New Jersey Athletic Conference announced its women's soccer weekly honors for the week ending Sept. 14.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MARIANA VALENCIA • Rutgers-Newark
Senior • Forward • Bayonne, NJ / County Prep HS
Valencia is named NJAC Offensive Player of the Week after exploding for seven points in a two-match week for the Scarlet Raiders. She netted a hat trick in just 20 minutes of play and added an assist in an 11-0 win over St. Joseph’s (Brooklyn). The senior forward totaled nine shots and five on goal on the week, also putting up five shots in a narrow 3-2 loss to FDU-Florham. She finished with a 75 percent shooting accuracy across 94 total minutes played. Valencia is currently tied for fourth in the NJAC with eight points on the season.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
SALANGE BELL • Montclair State University
Sophomore • Goalkeeper • Montclair, NJ / Montclair Kimberley
Bell, the reigning NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year, earns her first Defensive Player of the Week honor. She anchored the Red Hawks’ back line in a three-match unbeaten week, allowing just one goal in 250:35 of action to pick up two wins and a tie. Bell recorded a season-high four saves in a 1-1 draw against SUNY New Paltz and notched her second shutout of the year with a two-save performance in a 4-0 win over Manhattanville. She finished the week with 7 total saves and a .875 save percentage. Bell currently leads all NJAC goalies with a .418 goals against average.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
SAMANTHA DONOVAN • William Paterson University
Freshman • Midfielder • Massapequa Park, NY / Massapequa
Donovan is named NJAC Rookie of the Week after tallying her first career goal and point in William Paterson’s 2-1 home victory over Penn State Abington. The freshman midfielder netted the game-winner in the 50th minute to help the Pioneers to a 1-1 week. She also appeared in WPU’s 1-0 loss to Eastern.