AUBURN, Ala. – Coming off a pair of shutout wins in California last weekend, redshirt senior goalkeeper Sarah Le Beau has been named the Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Week and sophomore defender Alyssa Malonson was named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week.
The SEC honor is the first of the season for Le Beau and the fourth of her career. The national recognition is the first of the season and career for Malonson.
It also marks the third straight week Auburn has had a player named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week. The Tigers and Boston College are the only teams in the country to have a player earn the honor in three consecutive weeks.
Le Beau and Malonson both played instrumental roles in a pair of shutouts at Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State last weekend, marking the Tigers third and fourth shutouts in six contests this season.
"Sarah had a big-time weekend," head coach Karen Hoppa said. "To earn two shutouts on the road is very deserving of the defensive player of the week. She had a couple huge saves at key moments to preserve the lead in both games."
Le Beau turned in back-to-back shutouts for the first time this season and totaled nine saves in the two matches. After blanking Cal State Fullerton Friday night, the Crystal Lake, Illinois, native handed the Beach its first home loss and home shutout of the season. Le Beau made six saves in the match, including one from point-blank range on the potential equalizer in the first half.
"Alyssa had one of the best weekends of her career on the defensive side of the ball, and I'm thrilled to see her nationally recognized for her efforts," Hoppa said. "She was also excellent offensively, including a tremendous assist on the game-winner Friday night."
Malonson not only assisted on the game-winning goal in the ninth minute of a 2-0 win at Cal State Fullerton, but she also came up with a block on an open goal and prevented numerous through balls from getting to forwards behind the back line to help keep both the Titans and Beach off the scoreboard. The Spring, Texas, native played all 90 minutes in both matches.
No. 17 Auburn (6-0-0) kicks off a three-match homestand by welcoming Cincinnati (3-2-0) to the Auburn Soccer Complex Sunday at 12 p.m. CT. Admission is free to all Auburn soccer home matches.
Le Beau, Malonson Pick up SEC and National Honors
