WALLA WALLA, Wash. -- For the second time in a month, two Whitman College players have been named Northwest Conference Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week for women's soccer.
Picking up this week's honors are two sophomores, forward/midfielder Corina Gabbert and goalkeeper Courtney Porter. Gabbert did all of Whitman's scoring last weekend, booting three goals as the Missionaries won two games on the road, one of which was Porter's fifth shutout of the season.
Porter, a sophomore in her first season as a full-time starter, also earned NWC Defensive Player of the Week honors in mid-September when she shut out the same two teams on Whitman's home turf. Claiming Offensive Player of the Week honors for Whitman following those two games was senior forward Kristen Berndt.
With Sunday's game at Linfield still scoreless, Porter (Redmond, Wash.; Inglemoor HS) stopped a penalty kick midway through the second half. Gabbert (Portland, Ore.; Catlin Gabel School) then scored the game's only goal with six minutes remaining to secure the win for Whitman.
With Gabbert scoring a pair of second-half goals on Saturday, Whitman jumped in front of Pacific by 2-0 count. With Pacific pressing forward in the game's waning minutes, Porter surrendered a goal on one of several Pacific corner kicks.
Porter, who has played more minutes (1,311:31) than other keeper in the NWC, leads the conference in both save percentage (.871) and total saves (88). She ranks second in shutouts (five) and is tied for second in goals against average (0.89). Two of her shutouts were 0-0 double-overtime draws, and she missed out on a sixth shutout earlier this month when she gave way to a substitute midway through the second half of a game Whitman won 6-0.
Gabbert now leads Whitman in scoring with seven goals in 14 games. She is tied for third in the NWC in total goals, although she ranks just 10th in total shots taken. Three of Gabbert's goals have been game-winning scores, which has her tied for second in that statistical category.
With six games left in the season, Whitman sits in fourth place in the NWC with a 5-3-2 record (6-5-3 overall), just two points out of third place. The Missionaries play five of their last six games at home, starting with Willamette and George Fox this Saturday and Sunday. Both games start at noon at the Whitman Athletic Fields.
Dave Holden, Whitman Sports Information, (509) 527-5902
Email: holden@whitman.edu