Pierre-Louis Earns Top Big 12 Honor
October 30, 2017 03:13 PM | Women's Soccer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Senior Amandine Pierre-Louis of the No. 7-ranked West Virginia University women's soccer team has been named the 2017 Big 12 Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year.
Additionally, a conference-best eight Mountaineers received All-Big 12 accolades.
All awards were selected by the conference coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.
A native of Montreal, Quebec, Pierre-Louis is the third different Mountaineer to snag the conference's top defensive honor since WVU joined the Big 12 in 2012. Current graduate assistant Bry McCarthy won the first honor, and 2016 MAC Hermann Trophy winner Kadeisha Buchanan earned the last four.
"Amandine has worked extremely hard in this position," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "Obviously, this was a move we made last year, and it was new to her. I give her all the credit – she put in a lot of hard work and focus. I'm very proud she won this award, and I'm happy all her hard work was rewarded."
An outside back, Pierre-Louis has helped the Mountaineers tally 11 shutouts this season, including five against Big 12 opponents. The WVU backline allowed only four goals in nine Big 12 matches for a 0.43 goals-against average (GAA), the best mark in conference play. Three Big 12 opponents failed to earn a corner kick against the WVU defense, and two teams earned just one each.
WVU has allowed just 11 goals in 18 matches this season for a 0.596 GAA, the 22nd-best mark nationally and No. 3 in the conference.
Pierre-Louis also aided the Mountaineer offensive attack this season, as she ranks No. 4 on the team with nine points (4 G, 1 A). Included in her goal count, the second-best total on the team, are two game-winners against Big 12 opponents – at Baylor on Sept. 22 (W, 2-1 OT) and against Oklahoma State on Oct. 6 (W, 1-0). She ranks second in the conference in game-winners against league opponents.
Pierre-Louis, senior forward Michaela Abam and junior defender Bianca St. Georges were named to the All-Big 12 First Team. The honor is the third straight for Abam, the second in as many seasons for Pierre-Louis and the first for St. Georges.
Abam paces the Mountaineers with 17 points (7 G, 3 A), the fourth-best total in the Big 12. In addition to helping the Mountaineers earn 11 clean sheets, St. Georges also ranks No. 4 on the team with nine points (2 G, 5 A). Her five assists are the second-best mark among Mountaineers and the third-best in the Big 12.
Four Mountaineers were named to the All-Big 12 Second Team: senior midfielder Carla Portillo, junior defenders Vanessa Flores and Easther Mayi Kith and sophomore goalkeeper Rylee Foster.
Portillo's honor is her third career All-Big 12 accolade and second second-team award. Following her second career double-assist performance in the Mountaineers' 2-0 win at Kansas on Oct. 27, she ranks No. 3 on the team in assists (4) and No. 7 in points (8).
Foster lands on the second team for the second straight season. Credited with 10 of the team's 11 shutouts, she ranks No. 19 nationally, No. 3 in the Big 12, with a 0.551 GAA. Against Big 12 opponents, Foster shows a conference-best 0.33 GAA.
Flores and Mayi Kith's honors are career firsts.
Forward Lauren Segalla is WVU's lone representative on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. A native of Salisbury, Connecticut, she has earned time in 17 matches off the bench and shows six points on three goals.
"I think everyone plays in her position and role and does her job," Izzo-Brown said of the Mountaineers named to the All-Big 12 teams. "I'm happy the other conference coaches recognize and acknowledge the hard work each of these players has contributed throughout this season."
Seeded No. 2, the Mountaineers (14-3-1, 7-1-1) open play at the Big 12 Soccer Championship on Wednesday, Nov. 1, against No. 7-seed Texas Tech, at 6:30 p.m. EST, at Swope Soccer Village.
Additionally, a conference-best eight Mountaineers received All-Big 12 accolades.
All awards were selected by the conference coaches, who were not permitted to vote for their own student-athletes.
A native of Montreal, Quebec, Pierre-Louis is the third different Mountaineer to snag the conference's top defensive honor since WVU joined the Big 12 in 2012. Current graduate assistant Bry McCarthy won the first honor, and 2016 MAC Hermann Trophy winner Kadeisha Buchanan earned the last four.
"Amandine has worked extremely hard in this position," Mountaineer coach Nikki Izzo-Brown said. "Obviously, this was a move we made last year, and it was new to her. I give her all the credit – she put in a lot of hard work and focus. I'm very proud she won this award, and I'm happy all her hard work was rewarded."
An outside back, Pierre-Louis has helped the Mountaineers tally 11 shutouts this season, including five against Big 12 opponents. The WVU backline allowed only four goals in nine Big 12 matches for a 0.43 goals-against average (GAA), the best mark in conference play. Three Big 12 opponents failed to earn a corner kick against the WVU defense, and two teams earned just one each.
WVU has allowed just 11 goals in 18 matches this season for a 0.596 GAA, the 22nd-best mark nationally and No. 3 in the conference.
Pierre-Louis also aided the Mountaineer offensive attack this season, as she ranks No. 4 on the team with nine points (4 G, 1 A). Included in her goal count, the second-best total on the team, are two game-winners against Big 12 opponents – at Baylor on Sept. 22 (W, 2-1 OT) and against Oklahoma State on Oct. 6 (W, 1-0). She ranks second in the conference in game-winners against league opponents.
Pierre-Louis, senior forward Michaela Abam and junior defender Bianca St. Georges were named to the All-Big 12 First Team. The honor is the third straight for Abam, the second in as many seasons for Pierre-Louis and the first for St. Georges.
Abam paces the Mountaineers with 17 points (7 G, 3 A), the fourth-best total in the Big 12. In addition to helping the Mountaineers earn 11 clean sheets, St. Georges also ranks No. 4 on the team with nine points (2 G, 5 A). Her five assists are the second-best mark among Mountaineers and the third-best in the Big 12.
Four Mountaineers were named to the All-Big 12 Second Team: senior midfielder Carla Portillo, junior defenders Vanessa Flores and Easther Mayi Kith and sophomore goalkeeper Rylee Foster.
Portillo's honor is her third career All-Big 12 accolade and second second-team award. Following her second career double-assist performance in the Mountaineers' 2-0 win at Kansas on Oct. 27, she ranks No. 3 on the team in assists (4) and No. 7 in points (8).
Foster lands on the second team for the second straight season. Credited with 10 of the team's 11 shutouts, she ranks No. 19 nationally, No. 3 in the Big 12, with a 0.551 GAA. Against Big 12 opponents, Foster shows a conference-best 0.33 GAA.
Flores and Mayi Kith's honors are career firsts.
Forward Lauren Segalla is WVU's lone representative on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. A native of Salisbury, Connecticut, she has earned time in 17 matches off the bench and shows six points on three goals.
"I think everyone plays in her position and role and does her job," Izzo-Brown said of the Mountaineers named to the All-Big 12 teams. "I'm happy the other conference coaches recognize and acknowledge the hard work each of these players has contributed throughout this season."
Seeded No. 2, the Mountaineers (14-3-1, 7-1-1) open play at the Big 12 Soccer Championship on Wednesday, Nov. 1, against No. 7-seed Texas Tech, at 6:30 p.m. EST, at Swope Soccer Village.
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