HAMILTON, Ont. (October 31, 2012) - Ontario University Athletics (OUA) is pleased to announce the west division women's soccer major award winners and all-stars.
Laurier's
Emily Brown (Waterloo, Ont.) has earned the OUA west division most valuable player award. Brown's win marks the third year in a row that a Laurier player has taken home MVP honours, joining former teammate
Alyssa Lagonia and
Tania Pedron. The 2011 OUA west rookie of the year was immune to the sophomore slump; she led the league with 15 goals in 16 regular appearances. Opposing defences rarely had an answer for Brown as she registered multiple goals in three games, including a hat trick against the Guelph Gryphons in an OUA west quarter-final. Brown was also named an OUA first team all-star.
Brown is joined on the OUA all-star team by teammates
Kelsey Tikka (Thunder Bay, Ont.),
Katie Bishop (Surrey, B.C.) and
Krista Cellucci (Mississauga, Ont.). Tikka earns her third OUA all-star nod on the west division backline. The 2010 OUA and CIS rookie of the year had another strong season for the Hawks, as her physical presence limited opponents to a paltry 11 goals. Rookie
Katie Bishop was a catalyst for Laurier's offence. The Surrey, B.C. native adjusted seamlessly to her new team and was a valuable playmaker, starting in 13 regular season matches. Fifth-year striker
Krista Cellucci rounds out Laurie'rs all-stars. The Mississauga, Ont. native scored six goals in her final season in purple and gold and was named an OUA second team all-star for her efforts.
The York Lions boast the majority of the west division all-stars, with six athletes earning recognition. Nour Ghoneim (Toronto) leads the pack, taking home the OUA west division rookie of the year award, presented by Big Kahuna Sport Company. Despite only appearing in 10 games for the Lions, the sturdy striker tallied 13 goals including two natural hat-tricks. Ghoneim tied for third in league scoring and was named an OUA first team all-star for her accomplishments. Lions goalkeeper Sarah Fiorini (Newmarket, Ont.) was named to the first team for the third time in her career. The fourth-year keeper posted nine shutouts and did not allow a single goal against until six games into the regular season. Defensive partners and Brampton natives Shannon Wood and Felicia Turone are OUA first team all-stars. Wood, a second-year athlete, earns her first OUA all-star nod, while Turone, Yorks captain and a fifth-year, earns first team status after being named a second team all-star last season. Third-year midfielder Rita Keimkah (Maple, Ont.) rounds out York's presence on the OUA west division first team. Keimkah, an NCAA transfer in her second season with the York squad, scored five goals this season. Third-year midfielder Alessia Mattucci (Thornhill, Ont.) is a second-team all-star.
Like the York Lions, the third-place McMaster Marauders boast all-stars in all areas of the field. Cristina Leonardelli (Woodbridge, Ont.) was a force on defence for the Marauders throughout the season. 2012 marks the second consecutive season that Leonardelli is named to the OUA west division first team. Fourth-year captain Melanie Van Der Hoop (Oakville, Ont.) earns her third honour on the first team. The speedy midfielder tallied three goals for the Marauders this season. Goalkeeper Brittany Duffey (Markham, Ont.) and striker Tara Dawdy (Burlington, Ont.) round out McMasters all-stars, as both athletes were named to the OUA west division second team.
The UOIT Ridgebacks had a successful inaugural campaign, finishing in sixth place and qualifying for the OUA playoffs. In the midst of making school history, rookie defender Charesse Thomas-Tate (Brampton, Ont.), rookie midfielder Sara Voisin (Waterloo, Ont.) and second-year midfielder Sonia Sampogna (Toronto) were named to the OUA west division second team.
Fourth-year midfielder Alex andra Harris (Dundas, Ont.) represents Guelph on the first team. Teammate Lauren Hampton (Calgary, Alta.) is on the OUA second team.
Mustangs Sabrina De Nard (London, Ont.) and Anna Keller (Bayfield, Ont.) represent Western on the second team. De Nard and Keller helped the Mustangs to a second place finish in the OUA west.
Siobhan Woodfull (Lakeshore, Ont.) is Waterloo's lone all-star. The third-year sweeper is Waterloo's first OUA all-star since 2010.
Western midfielder Jennifer Spinnozzi (Sarnia, Ont.) takes home the Community Service Award for the west division. The fourth-year medical student has been assistant captain for three years, and still finds time to keep up with her demanding studies and volunteer in London and Sarnia communities.
The 2012 OUA west division coach of the year is Peyvand Mossavat. Mossavat led the UOIT Ridgebacks, a team comprised of 15 rookies, to an impressive 6-7-3 record in their opening season. Mossavat has coached in the OUA for eight years and this is his second coach of the year honour. His first came in 2007 when he was at the helm of the Ryerson Rams women's soccer program.
OUA WEST DIVISION MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
Player of the Year
Rookie of the Year, presented by Big Kahuna Sport Company
Nour Ghoneim - York Lions
Coach of the Year
Peyvand Mossavat - UOIT Ridgebacks
Community Service Award
Jennifer Spinnozzi - Western Mustangs
OUA WEST DIVISION ALL-STARS
First Team
Sarah Fiorini - York Lions - Goalkeeper
Shannon Wood - York Lions - Defender
Cristina Leonardelli - McMaster Marauders - Defender
Felicia Turone - York Lions - Defender
Rita Keimakh - York Lions - Midfielder
Alexandra Harris - Guelph Gryphons - Midfielder
Melanie Van Der Hoop - McMaster Marauders - Midfielder
Nour Ghoneim - York Lions - Striker
Second Team
Brittany Duffey - McMaster Marauders - Goalkeeper
Charesse Thomas-Tate - UOIT Ridgebacks - Defender
Lauren Hampton - Guelph Gryphons - Defender
Sabrina De Nard - Western Mustangs - Defender
Siobhan Woodfull - Waterloo Warriors - Defender
Alessia Mattucci - York Lions - Midfielder
Anna Keller - Western Mustangs - Midfielder
Sonia Sampogna - UOIT Ridgebacks - Midfielder
Sara Voisin - UOIT Ridgebacks - Midfielder
Tara Dawdy - McMaster Marauders - Striker
