The Saint

Story by Alex Rodriguez, Sports Editor

In week five of the NAIA ranking polls the Aquinas Women’s soccer team withheld the #4 spot in the Coaches Poll. These girls have been owning the field by playing well throughout our conference and not letting any non-ranked team get remotely close to them. They have succeeded well throughout this season and have proved it through consistently achieving WHAC players of the week, setting new records, and maintaining a place at the top. 5.

After their first game this season which ended in a tie, the women have become untouchable.  The women have been putting in extremely hard work to stay on top of the conference. This has been shown when throughout the season, they have earned a total of four WHAC players of the week. Between two players, Sydney Shenk, and Laia Cunill, they have achieved 3 separate Offensive Players of the Week. Cunill received her Player of the Week after scoring 2 goals against a Top. 25 teams and an assist against a team receiving national votes. Shenk received her achievement not once, but twice. Her first came with scoring 2 goals and having 2 assists. However, in her next win, she achieved a new personal goal by scoring her first hat trick with 3 goals and 1 assist in the next win. With no surprise, Kayla Shuk was awarded WHAC Defensive Player of the Week, after multiple shutouts leading to the team’s first WHAC win!

Shuk, and the rest of the women’s team, have helped Shuk achieve a record-breaking goal. Shuk broke the Aquinas Career Shutout record of 18 games, while still being only a sophomore. The team has helped with keeping multiple clean sheet games, where in many cases, such as the game against Concordia, there were 0 shots on target. However, Shuk wasn’t feeling left out too much, she also had a goalie assist in that game, one of two of her assists this season!

Lastly, the women’s team has been very successful, having a record of 9-0-2, this team has managed multiple shutouts, clean sheets, and big wins. Having most wins be of 3 or more goals scored, and next to no goals against them, if any. 

This team has taken a strong spot in the Top. 5 and with conference finals approaching, they are looking to be fierce and with no surprise at all, are favored to win the WHAC! 

Photos Courtesy of AQ Athletics