Oct. 5, 2011
Disney Soccer/NSCAA National Player of the Week
Soccer America Women's Team of the Week
ECAC Player of the Week
SoccerSavings.com Philly Soccer News Player of the Week
VILLANOVA, Pa.--Senior forward Katie Ryan (Wayne, N.J.) has added several honors on a national level this week after earlier being named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week on Monday afternoon. Ryan is the NSCAA National Player of the Week and the ECAC Player of the Week, while also being named to the Soccer America Team of the Week. She is also the SoccerSavings.com/Philly Soccer News Player of the Week.
All of this recognition is a result of the incredible efforts Ryan produced in a pair of victories for Villanova last week. She amassed three goals, three assists and nine points in wins over Pittsburgh and No. 22 West Virginia, while setting a school record in the process and also helping the Wildcats break a six-game losing streak.
Ryan was unstoppable in a 4-1 victory over the Mountaineers on Sunday afternoon, when she played a part in all four goals and finished the day with two goals and two assists. Ryan scored two goals in the first half - just over two minutes apart - to first tie the score at 1-1 and then give Villanova a 2-1 lead. She added a pair of assists in the second half as the Wildcats went on to their first win of the season against a nationally-ranked opponent.
The game-winning goal that Ryan scored against West Virginia was the 15th of her illustrious career and established a new school record. She had been tied for the previous record of 14 career game-winners that had stood for 25 years. Ryan also moved into sole possession of third place in program history in both career goals (37) and points (96), as well as becoming the eighth player in program history to reach or surpass 20 career assists (22).
Ryan also had one goal and one assist in a 3-1 win over Pittsburgh last Friday to help lead Villanova to its first BIG EAST win of the season. She assisted on the game-winning goal just two minutes into the second half and then scored a goal of her own two minutes later to seal the outcome.
Through 14 games this season Ryan leads the Wildcats with nine goals, 23 points and four game-winning goals. She is also tied for first on the team with five assists and is second with 40 shots.
This week marks the second time in her career that Ryan has received national recognition for her play during the season. As a sophomore she was chosen as the Top Drawer Soccer Player of the Week and was listed on the organization's Team of the Week on October 12, 2009.
With two wins last weekend Villanova improved its record on the season to 6-6-2 overall and 2-4 in conference play. The victories enabled the Wildcats to move up three spots in the standings to fifth place in the BIG EAST National Division, the last spot that will receive a berth in the BIG EAST Championship that begins later this month.
Villanova plays its final two home games of the regular season this weekend against Louisville on Friday (3 p.m.) and versus Cincinnati on Sunday (1 p.m.).
