WEEK 8 2023 RUNDOWN – Eclipse Select Alumni

Our alumni have outdone themselves yet again for week eight, with huge successes across the board at all levels of the collegiate landscape! Especially notable performances include our very own Abby Kalou (Buffalo Grove, IL.) and Hannah Bebar (Naperville, IL.) Kalou performed absolutely stellar this past week, putting up 9 points across Lesley’s victories over Fisher College and Eastern Nazarene – with an assist and her first career hat trick assist against Fisher, followed by two more assists at Nazarene. Bebar contributed both a goal and an assist in Harvard’s big-time 3-0 victory over Dartmouth Wednesday, with a phenomenal goal from distance in the 73rd minute to mark her 50th career point!


GOALSCORERS

Kiki Van Zanten (Buffalo Grove, IL.) added a second brace of the year to her stat sheet this past weekend in the Irish’s dominant 7-2 victory over Miami. Scoring two stunning goals in the 31st and 56th minute, Kiki is now tied for leading the team in points with 15. Senior midfielder Kate Flynn (Woodridge, IL.) notched her first goal of the season last Tuesday in the 78th minute of play to put the game away for the WashU Bears – closing out a 3-0 home victory vs. Webster. Senior forward Jack Finnegan (Hometown, IL.) found his first goal of the year in the 73rd minute to put the Badgers on the board in their match against Michigan State on Friday. Junior midfielder Nathaniel Enriquez (Carol Stream, IL.) scored his first of the season in the 26th minute of play against cross-town rival UIC to give the Blue Demons the lead. After capitalizing on another opportunity later in the second half, Depaul claimed a big 3-1 home victory over the Flames. Ella Richards (Chicago, IL.) put Boston College on the board just four minutes into their game at Notre Dame, marking her fifth of the season and already surpassing her scoring record from last year. Junior midfielder Laura Butler (Chicago, IL.) scored her second goal of the year in the 49th minute off an astounding top-shelf volley in the Mines’ 4-0 victory vs. Western Colorado. A third goal of the season from Bela Labovic (Schererville, IN.) at the 70th-minute mark against Montevallo on Friday sealed the win for the Argos – taking home another road victory with a final score of 2-0.  Arianna Lombardi (Bourbonnais, IL.) dug out the game-winning lone goal for the Pioneers in the 29th minute of their game vs. UW-Eau Claire on Saturday – marking her fifth of the season thus far with their second home victory. Ella Koleno (Chicago, IL.) came off the weekend with both a goal and assist across the Bears’ games against Brandeis (4-0) and Fontbonne (3-0). Koleno kickstarted the offensive push, scoring her goal against Fontbonne in the 17th minute, and her assist in the 49th minute vs. Brandeis sealed the victory for WashU. And last but certainly not least, freshman Taylor Green (Plainfield, IL.) made her scoring debut for the Falcons in their matchup against Eastern Michigan. With a corner kick opportunity just 2 minutes in, Green’s one-time finish in the box energized the BGSU offense – ending in a 3-2 home victory. 


PLAYMAKERS

Fernanda Soto (Romeoville, IL.) logged her second assist of the year in just the 5th minute of the Pack’s home match against Virginia. With an insurance goal a few minutes later, NC State was able to come out victorious with a final score of 2-1. An assist from Junior Maya Rebic (Elmhurst, IL.) in the 60th minute of the Warhawks match against UW-OshKosh on Wednesday brought home her second of the year along with their 4-1 victory. Morgan Fagan (Glencoe, IL.) found her second assist of the year after sending in a beautiful through ball in the 53rd minute of the Terriers’ match vs Lafayette – ending in a 4-2 BU home win. Sophomore forward Lily Spotak (Palatine, IL.) logged her first point of the season with an assist at the 41st-minute mark of Eastern Michigan’s game at Bowling Green on Sunday. A first of the year from sophomore Karli Ferguson (Chicago, IL.) in the 70th minute gave the Flyers the lead they were battling the Rams for all game long. Holding out for the last 20, Dayton brought home the victory with a final score of 1-0. Alexis Sassower (Chicago, IL.) logged her second assist on Friday in the Spartans game against Emory. Sassower’s play in the 13th minute increased their lead to two, before ending in a final score of 3-1. Bella Najera (St. Charles, IL.) found the ball at the 26th-minute mark of the Spartans’ match against Michigan, creating the first scoring chance of the game to give MSU an early lead – ending in a B1G 3-2 road victory. Freshman Mimi Van Zanten (Buffalo Grove, IL.) set up her second assist of the year in the Seminoles match against Louisville on Thursday, creating the chance late in the game and building the FSU offense’s momentum to dig out another – ending in a final score of 2-0. 


DEFENSIVE EXCELLENCE

A strong team begins with a strong backline, and Senior defender Katie Koker (Racine, WI.) has been a critical piece of the Marquette backline throughout the season so far – starting in all 14 games, logging 4 shutouts, and playing 1,233 out of 1,260 total minutes. Martin Murillo (Addison, IL.) has made 12 of 12 starts so far this season for Purdue Northwest, playing 1,025 of 1,080 minutes and helping the team to six shutouts. Nicole Doucette (Lake Bluff, IL.) has made the starting lineup in each of the Wildcats games this fall, anchoring the backline to 6 shutouts and playing 1,200 of 1,260 total minutes.

KEEPERS CORNER

Can’t forget about the stars in the net, with Gandhi Cruz (Dundee Crown, IL.) putting forth a tremendous effort in the Blue Demon’s match against Akron on Saturday – coming up with a huge stop on a penalty kick, as well as logging 8 saves on 24 shots faced. Junior Ashton Kudlo (Schererville, IN.) added two more shutouts to her record after her performances in the Jaguars’ games against Wright State (0-0) and Green Bay (1-0) – coming up with a total of 10 saves on 22 shots faced across both games. Broncos keeper Lauren Boafo (Hanover Park, IL.) helped WMU to an undefeated weekend after coming up with a total of 4 big saves on 12 shots faced across their games against Akron (2-0) and Ohio (1-1). Emma Gaspari (Naperville, IL.) faced a grand total of 39 shots across the Cannoneers last two games – coming up with 20 saves across their matches against Kean and Old Westbury. 


Over 100 Eclipse Select Soccer Club alumni, both male and female, are rostered across every level of college soccer at Division I, II, III, and NAIA. There are 34 alumni designated as freshmen entering their first year of college. The remaining includes 31 sophomores, 36 juniors, 19 seniors, and one graduate student with an additional year of eligibility.