Kraft Named WAC Defensive Player of the Week

Seattle University women’s soccer’s Kiana Kraft (Kent, Wash.) has been named the Western Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week for the week of Oct. 28-Nov. 3. This is the 10th WAC honor for the Redhawks this season and the seventh straight week in which Seattle U has received at least one honoree. This is Kraft’s first career WAC Player of the Week honor.

“Kiana is playing some of her best soccer at a very important time,” said head coach Julie Woodward. “She is contributing not just defensively for us, but offensively as well, scoring goals and assisting her teammates. She is an exceptionally talented, exciting soccer player who is so much fun to watch.”

Kraft helped anchor the Seattle U defense that allowed just one goal in two matches vs. Idaho, as the Redhawks shut out the Vandals, 3-0, on Nov. 1, and earned a 3-1 victory on Nov. 3. The SU defense allowed Idaho just eight shots, four on goal, over the two matches. Kraft also helped the team offensively, scoring a goal and recording an assist over the weekend. To date, Kraft has recorded two goals and four assists for eight points, and 11 shots, seven on goal, while playing a key role in the team’s seven-game shutout streak and current 13-game winning streak.

Kansas City’s Taylor Bare was named WAC Offensive Player of the Week after scoring two goals in the team’s 3-0 victory over Bakersfield to extend her season total to 13 goals in 2013, tied for the WAC lead with Stephanie Verdoia (Salt Lake City, Utah).

At the conclusion of regular season play, Seattle U (15-2-2, 12-0-0 WAC) enters this weekend’s WAC tournament as the No. 1 seed after winning the WAC Regular Season title. Currently on a 13-game winning streak, the Redhawks have allowed just four goals dating back to Sept. 20. Seattle U is just the fourth team in WAC history to go undefeated in league play, and the first team to ever win 12 WAC matches in a season.

SU faces Idaho for the third straight time on Friday, Nov. 8 at 11:30 a.m. MT in the WAC Tournament semifinals, with the winner advancing to the championship game on Sunday, Nov. 10 at 12 p.m. MT. The winner of the conference tournament will receive the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The nominees for each position are as follows:

Other Offensive Nominees: Mary Kate Koziol (New Mexico State), Stephanie Verdoia (Seattle U), Haley Curtis (Utah Valley)

Other Defensive Nominees: Nina Tzianos (Kansas City), Daisy Hernandez (New Mexico State)