Sept. 21, 2009
SAN DIEGO - San Diego State sophomore Hayley Marsh has been named the Mountain West Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced Monday. The weekly honor is the first of her career and comes after the Aztecs extended their unbeaten streak to three matches this past weekend.
Marsh, a Littleton, Colo., native, anchored a defense that posted a 2-0 shutout against Sacramento State and a 2-1 victory over Long Beach State. In those games, Marsh and the Aztec defense limited the Hornets to just one shot on goal and the 49ers to only three.
In the match against Sacramento State, which was San Diego State's fourth shutout of the year, Marsh played all 90 minutes and took a game-high five shots, including two on goal. One of her attempts found the back of the net as she took a free kick from 25 yards out. The goal was her second of the year and her second game-winner of 2009.
Against Long Beach State, Marsh, again, played all 90 minutes and was a key factor in preventing the 49ers from escaping Montezuma Mesa with a tie or victory. Offensively, it was Marsh's free kick that allowed the Aztecs to take a 1-0 lead in the first half. After her kick deflected off a LBSU player, Michaela DeJesus gathered the rebound and found Hillary Harvey, who cashed in on the opportunity and scored her first goal of her career.
San Diego State has currently won a season-high two consecutive matches and is 3-1-2 in its last six outings. The Aztecs, at 5-3-2 overall, are ranked 10th in the NSCAA Pacific Region poll and are making their first appearance in a regional poll since the 2005 campaign.
SDSU, which is 7-1-1 against its last nine non-conference opponents at home, continues its season-long seven-match homestand on Sunday, Sept. 27, when it plays host to UC Irvine. The non-league tilt is set for 2:30 p.m. PT at SDSU Sports Deck.