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Issued: December 18, 2007

FIVE NAMED TO NSCAA ALL-CENTRAL REGION TEAM

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Five members of the UW-Eau Claire women’s soccer team have been named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-Central Region Team, NSCAA officials announced today.

Defender Anna Talbot (Sr.-Apple Valley, Minn./Eastview), the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s (WIAC) Player of the Year, was the only Blugold to make it to the first team All-Central Region list. Receiving second team honors were mid-fielder Liz Kooistra (Jr.-Lakeville, Minn.), forward Amy Smith (Jr.-Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) and goalkeeper Allie Rivard (Jr.-Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata). Defender Allison Smith (Jr.-Bloomington, Minn./Thomas Jefferson) was also recognized with a third team selection.

Talbot and Allison Smith helped anchor the Blugold defense that consistently shut down opponents this season. The Blugold defense allowed only 119 shots, 53 being on goal, which is an average of 5.4 shots per game. The defense also allowed only 12 goals the entire season, a 0.53 goals against average (GAA), which was the best in the conference and 14th in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. Talbot also tallied two assists, while Allison Smith scored two goals and accumulated eight assists. This was the first year either was selected to the All-Central Region Team. Because Talbot was a first team selection, she is also eligible for receiving All-American honors.

Rivard, who received NSCAA All-Central Region first team honors last season, saved 33-of-39 shots faced in 1,250 minutes. She allowed only 0.43 goals per game, saving .846 percent of shots faced. Rivard’s 0.43 GAA ranks first in the WIAC and 12th in NCAA Division III this season. It also ranks fourth all-time in the WIAC, after setting the record last season with her 0.19 GAA.

Amy Smith led the team this season with 36 points, 13 goals and 10 assists, including four game winning goals. Smith ranked third in the conference in points and goals, fourth in points per game, fifth in goals per game, and second in assists and assists per game this season. Smith’s 36 points ties for fifth in most points in a single season, while her 10 assists is tied for third most in a single season in program history. This is the first time Smith was selected for the All-Central Region Team.

Kooistra was second on the team with eight goals and eight assists for 24 points. She was sixth in the WIAC in points, fourth in points per game, eighth in goals and goals per game and tied for fourth in assists this season. This is the second year in row Kooistra received NSCAA All-Central Region honors, with last year being a third team selection.

The only other team to receive more selections than Eau Claire was NCAA Division III National Champions Wheaton College (Ill.), who had six people named to the first team. In the WIAC, UW-Stevens Point had two second team selections, while La Crosse took home one third team honor.

Last year, five Blugolds also received All-Central Region honors. Three were named to the first team, while two others were named to the second and third teams. In program history, only 16 Blugolds have appeared on NSCAA’s All-Central Region Team.

All-Central Region Team

- KM -

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