Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 3/15/21
From Press Release
After a pair of wins over No. 12 Towson Wednesday and Big 5 rival Saint Joseph’s Saturday, three Temple players, goalkeeper Shana Hecht, attacker Meghan Hoffman, and midfielder Kara Nakrasius (Garnet Valley) have been honored by the American Athletic Conference. Hecht has earned AAC Defensive Player of the Week, Hoffman garnered AAC Attack Player of the Week, and Nakrasius has been named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll for their efforts in the victories.
This is Hecht’s first career AAC award. After being pulled the prior game against Drexel, the Sacred Heart transfer emerged as a game-changer this week. Hecht set a new career-high versus Towson with 10 saves. Four days later against Saint Joseph’s she set another new career-high with 11 saves. Of her 31 saves this season, 21 (67%) were in the last two games.
Hoffman claims the Attack Player of the Week award for the second time this season. The fifth year was dynamic in a pair of Temple victories. Against Towson Hoffman set a new career-high with 5 goals, and added a majority of the game’s assists with three. Her eight points are the most of from any Owls in a single game this season. In Saturday’s game against Saint Joseph’s, she led all players with another four assists. Hoffman leads the AAC in assists per game with 3.2 and is tied for the conference lead in points per game (5.2).
Nakrasius proved why she was named to the Preseason All-Conference team with a strong all-around couple of games. Against Towson, she netted a goal, picked up four ground balls, and led all players with 7 draw controls. Saturday against Saint Joseph’s, she scored a pair of goals including the golden goal in double-overtime to secure the victory. She also picked up three ground balls, caused three turnovers, and again led all players with seven draw controls.
The Owls will return to action with a ranked matchup Friday, Mar. 19 against No. 11/11 Florida at Howarth Field. This will be the first of two matchups this weekend against the Gators, with the second taking place on Sunday. The game is set for 3 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
AAC Weekly Honors
Attack Player of the Week: Meghan Hoffman, Temple
Midfielder of the Week: Alyssa Adams, M, Cincinnati
Defensive Player of the Week: Shana Hecht, G, Temple
Freshman of the Week: Lauren Carey (Downingtown East), D, Old Dominion – The native of Chester Springs, caused three turnovers and scooped up six ground balls across a pair of games last week. Against Liberty on Wednesday, she forced a pair of turnovers and claimed two ground balls. Carey followed up with four ground balls and a caused turnover against No. 17 Richmond on Sunday.
Carey is tied for second in the American with 1.71 caused turnovers per game. Her 18 ground balls lead the Monarchs.
HONOR ROLL
Monica Borzillo • A • Sr. • Cincinnati • Devon, Pa./Conestoga
Scored four goals with five assists, six ground balls and three caused turnovers in a 2-0 week.
Morgan Dukes • D • Sr. • Cincinnati • Bowie, Md.
Picked up six ground balls with two caused turnovers and one draw control in a 2-0 week, limiting the two opponents to 9.0 goals per game.
Kara Nakrasius • M • Sr. • Temple • Garnet Valley, Pa.
Gabby Fornia • A • Sr. • Vanderbilt • Mount Laurel-NJ/Lenape
Fornia Had a goal, four assists, two ground balls and a caused turnover in a 20-13 win against Kennesaw State; became Vanderbilt’s career assists leader (89)
