ST. LOUIS – Senior goalkeeper Mary Niehaus and freshman forward Annabelle Copeland have been selected the Atlantic 10 Conference women’s soccer co-Defensive Player of the Week and co-Rookie of the Week, respectively, for the period of Sept. 4-10.
Niehaus earned the league’s weekly defensive plaudits for a fourth time in her career and first time this season. Copeland garnered her first A-10 weekly honor.
The duo helped lift Saint Louis to a 1-1 tie vs. No. 19 Kansas Sept. 8 in the Billikens’ only game last week. Niehaus made a career-high eight saves, including four stops in the second half and two in the first overtime. Copeland scored her first collegiate goal, the equalizer, in the 64th minute.
The SLU-Kansas game drew 5,205 spectators, the largest crowd ever to watch a collegiate women’s soccer game in the state of Missouri.
At least one Saint Louis student-athlete has collected an A-10 award in each of the first four weeks of the season, and this week marks the second time that two Billikens have been recognized. Six different individuals have earned those weekly awards, and Billiken players have received at least one A-10 weekly nod in all three categories – Offensive, Defensive and Rookie.
Previous SLU recipients this season are Megan Nixon (Sept. 5 co-Rookie of the Week), Maddie Pokorny (Aug. 28 Offensive Player of the Week), Evie Lavelle (Aug. 21 co-Offensive Player of the Week) and Olivia Petit (Aug. 21 Rookie of the Week).
The 6-0-1 Billikens conclude the nonconference portion of their schedule on the road this weekend. SLU faces Evansville Friday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. and Murray State Sunday, Sept. 17, at 2 p.m.
