Joslyn Bopray Named GNAC Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University sophomore middle blocker Joslyn Bopray has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week, announced Monday by the conference office.
Bopray (Spokane, WA/Lewis & Clark) helped the 10th-ranked Vikings to a 3-1 record at the D2 West Region Showcase in Alaska last week as WWU earned wins against No. 11 Cal State San Bernardino (3-2), No. 15 Concordia-Irvine (3-1) and Chico State (3-0).
The sophomore helped lead a strong WWU defensive front during the tournament, averaging 1.47 blocks/set (20 block assists, 2 solo) during the four contests and posted game-high block totals in each of the WWU victories.
In the 5-set WWU victory over Cal State San Bernardino, Bopray totaled a career-high 10 blocks (1 solo, 9 block assists) as WWU rallied to win by claiming the fourth and fifth sets. Against Concordia-Irvine she had 7 blocks (1 solo, 6 block assists) before recording 5 blocks against Chico State.
Offensively, Bopray totaled 19 kills during the tournament, including 6 kills apiece against Concordia-Irvine and Chico State.
The weekly honor is the first of Bopray’s career and the first for WWU during the 2017 campaign. The Vikings were honored with a player of the week accolade four times during the 2016 season.
WWU concluded the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 6-2 record and begin GNAC play on the road facing Central Washington in Ellensburg on Thursday (7 pm) and Northwest Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho on Saturday (7 pm MT).
WWU’s home opener inside the renovated Carver Gym will be on Sept. 19 (Tuesday) at 7 pm vs. Simon Fraser and there will be free admission for all fans.
— @WWUVolleyball —
Ashley Homer Honored as GNAC Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University senior goalkeeper Ashley Homer has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, announced Monday by the conference office.
Homer (Puyallup, WA/College of Saint Rose) recorded her first shutout of the season as No. 1-ranked WWU (3-0) earned a 1-0 win at MSU Denver on Sunday during the only game of the week for the Vikings.
The senior made 3 saves against the Roadrunners, including a diving save in the 86th minute to keep MSU Denver off the scoreboard. The Vikings took a 1-0 lead just before halftime and held MSU Denver without a goal, facing 10 total shots and 3 shots on goal. Homer has played every minute in each of Vikings three games during the young season, totaling 7 saves and a .67 goals-against average.
The shutout on Sunday was the 15th of Homer’s WWU career and 31st overall in her collegiate career. Named a Third Team All-American by the NSCAA last season along with being honored as the 2016 GNAC Newcomer of the Year, Homer recorded 14 shutouts and a .38 goals-against average in 2016. She entered last week as the NCAA II active career leader in goals-against average (.39) along with ranking third in shutouts (30).
The player of the week honor is the first for Homer in her career. WWU swept the first set of weekly women’s soccer conference honors last week with junior forward Gabriela Pelogi (Federal Way, WA) being named the GNAC Offensive Player of the Week and sophomore defender Annaliese Laurila (Portland, OR/Grant) being named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week. During 2016, WWU earned six conference weekly player of the week honors.
The Vikings, the defending NCAA Division II National Champions, are ranked No. 1 in the United Soccer Coaches DII poll. WWU carries a 27-game winning streak (tied for 4th-longest in NCAA Division II history) and 28-game undefeated streak (tied for 9th-longest in NCAA II history) into this week’s action.
WWU returns to competition Wednesday, remaining in Colorado to face Colorado State Pueblo at 12 pm MT/11 am PT. The Vikings return to Bellingham for Saturday’s home and GNAC opener against Western Oregon at Harrington Field (4 pm).
The men’s and women’s squad will team up for a doubleheader on Saturday (Sept. 16), with the men hosting Fort Hays State at 7 pm. Admission for the games is 2-for-1, with t-shirt and poster giveaways for both games.
— @WWU_WSoccer —
