Hellstrom and Marinaro Highlight MAC Postseason Awards
11/3/2016 1:24:00 PM | Women's Soccer
CLEVELAND, Ohio- The Mid-American Conference announced its postseason awards for women's soccer Thursday afternoon, highlighted by seven winners from Kent State, including head coach Rob Marinaro.
Marinaro garners MAC Coach of the Year for the third time in his career, as he led the Golden Flashes to their first MAC East Division Title since 2011 and a No. 2 seed in the MAC Tournament. The Golden Flashes set a program record going unbeaten in 13 straight matches, a streak that stretched from Aug. 21 until Oct. 14. Kent State's 13 wins so far this season and eight wins against conference opponents also tie program records.
For the second year in a row, Jenna Hellstrom has been named MAC Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-MAC. Hellstrom is responsible for 13 goals and eight assists so far this season, the eight assists being tops in the MAC. Hellstrom took down one Kent State record after another this season, first breaking the school points record on Sept. 16, then the assists record on Oct. 2, and finally the goals record on Oct. 6.
Sophomore defender Paige Culver was also named to First Team All-MAC, playing nearly every minute of the season for the Flashes' defense that led the MAC in goals against average at 0.76. Culver added one goal and one assist this season.Â
Garnering Second Team All-MAC honors was redshirt junior Donavan Capehart, senior Abbie Lawson and senior Brittany Maisano. Freshman Sierra Henderson-Muschett was named to the All-MAC Freshman Team.
Capehart, who garnered MAC Offensive Player Week honors once this season, scored six goals against conference opponents this season, including a streak of five goals in four games, three of which were game-winning goals for the Flashes.Â
Lawson, Maisano and Henderson-Muschett teamed up to bolster the Golden Flashes' backline that posted six shutouts against conference opponents in the regular season and eight shutouts total. The defense had a stretch of 13 matches where held opponents to one goal or less. Lawson netted one goal this season on a penalty kick against Western Michigan. Maisano recorded her first career multiple-assist game in the MAC Tournament Quarterfinals as Kent State defeated Eastern Michigan 2-0.
The Golden Flashes are gearing up for their MAC Tournament Semifinal match with Central Michigan on Friday night. The match from Dix Stadium is set to get underway at 7 p.m.
