NEC Co-Players of the Week: Ana Salas, FDU & Kayla Cassidy, STO
NEC Defensive Player of the Week: Annis-Clara Wright, MU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Annis-Clara Wright, MU
Previous NEC Releases: October 27 | October 20 | October 13 | October 6 | September 29 | September 22 | September 15 | September 8 | September 2 | August 25 | August 18 | NEC Preseason Poll

NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Ana Salas, Jr., M/F., FDU
Madrid, Spain/Liceo Italiano
Salas saved her best performance of the season for when FDU needed it most. With home-field advantage throughout the NEC Tournament on the line, Salas ensured the Knights came out on top in a 2-0 win over Howard on Sunday. The senior scored the opener just 13 minutes in to give FDU a 1-0 advantage, then netted herself a brace and iced the game with a goal in the 63rd minute. Salas' first brace of the season secured an outright NEC regular season title for the Knights and helped them finish unbeaten in conference play at 9-0-2. The Madrid, Spain native closes the 2025 regular season with 16 points from five goals and six assists. The latter is tied for second in the NEC this season and all three categories match Salas' career-highs that were set in 2024.

Kayla Cassidy, Jr., F., Stonehill
Whitman, MA/Whitman Hanson Regional
Heading into the final two matchdays of the season, Stonehill needed to win both of their remaining fixtures to have a chance at the fourth and final NEC Tournament berth. While the Skyhawks missed out in the end, Cassidy's clutch performances kept them alive until the final match of the 2025 season concluded. Over two matches, the junior scored three goals and guided Stonehill to the two wins they had to have. On Thursday, Cassidy came through with the lone goal of a 1-0 win over Le Moyne in the 54th minute. The Skyhawks won again on Sunday in a 3-1 result against Chicago State, in large part due to a brace from the Whitman, MA native. In that match, Cassidy bagged the opening goal with three seconds left in the first half. Her second goal came in the 78th minute and put the game out of reach. Cassidy ended the 2025 campaign with 14 points from six goals and two assists, setting career-highs in all three categories.

NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER & ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Annis-Clara Wright, Fr., GK, Mercyhurst
Surrey, England/Reigate Grammar School
Wright was outstanding between the woodwork for Mercyhurst last week and helped the Lakers end 2025 with two consecutive wins. The Crystal Palace academy product kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 victory against Chicago State on Thursday, making seven saves in the match. Wright played well once again in Mercyhurst's 2-1 win over New Haven, making nine saves. The goalkeeper from Surrey, England maintained a save percentage of .941 for the week and finished the season with an .814 percentage.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Melina Ford, Jr., GK., Central Connecticut
Ford did her job in ensuring a win in a game that Central Connecticut needed at least a point from to make the NEC Tournament. The junior made four saves in a 4-0 shutout vicotry over Delaware State on Sunday and helped the Blue Devils grab the fourth and final spot in the postseason. The clean sheet was Ford's fifth of the season and tied her for the conference lead in the category. 

Ana Salas, Jr., M/F., FDU
NEC Co-Player of the Week.

Mikayla McPheron, So., GK., Le Moyne
McPheron maintained her great form with two strong performances in a 1-1 week for Le Moyne. The sophomore made seven saves in a close 1-0 loss to Stonehill on Thursday. On Sunday, McPheron shut out Saint Francis and made four saves in a 1-0 win for the Dolphins. It was the third shutout in the last four games for McPheron, and brought her save percentage to .916 for the week. She set career-highs this season in goals against average (1.19), shutouts (4) and save percentage (.821).

Annis-Clara Wright, Fr., GK., Mercyhurst
NEC Defensive Player & Rookie of the Week.

Madison Sievering, R-So., F., Mercyhurst
Sievering caught fire on the back end of the 2025 campaign, tallying a goal and two assists in a 2-0 week for Mercyhurst. The redshirt sophomore netted the only goal in Mercyhurst's 1-0 win over Chicago State, then assisted on both Laker goals in their 2-1 win over New Haven. Sievering finished the season with 12 points from four goals and four assists.

Kayla Cassidy, Jr., F., Stonehill
NEC Co-Player of the Week

Allie Sougaris, So., GK., Stonehill
Sougaris was a steady presence between the woodwork for Stonehill this week when they needed her most. The sophomore shut out Le Moyne in a tight 1-0 win to keep the Skyhawks' postseason dreams breathing. Sougaris also did her part to keep Stonehill alive on Sunday, allowing just one goal in a 3-1 win over Chicago State. She had three saves on the week.

Riley Frederick, Fr., F., Wagner
Frederick was a big contributor to a Wagner offense that exploded for 11 goals in a 2-0 week. The rookie scored two goals and assisted on an additional two. In a 8-0 win over New Haven on Thursday, Frederick scored in the 12th minute and assisted on two later in the half, clinching a postseason spot for the Seahawks. On Sunday, she scored the second goal in a convincing 3-0 win over LIU and ensured Wagner of at least one home playoff game as the No. 2 seed. Frederick closed the 2025 regular season with nine points from three goals and three assists.

Izzy Gomez, Sr., M/F., Wagner
Gomez also played a substantial role in Wagner's pair of wins last week, netting three goals. The senior registered a brace in the 8-0 win over New Haven, and added another by scoring the late dagger to make it 3-0 over LIU. Gomez has seven goals and one assist on the season, putting her third in the league in goals per game (.50) and setting a career-high in goals.

Abigail Marcello, So., GK., Wagner
Marcello continued her strong 2025 season last week with a pair of shutouts and helped Wagner finish the regular season on a run of eight games without defeat. Over those two games, the sophomore made seven saves, tallying six against New Haven on Thursday and one against LIU. Marcello will enter the postseason without having allowed a goal in her last 331 minutes. She is tied for the conference lead in shutouts (5) and tied for second in save percentage (.821).

2025 NEC WOMEN'S SOCCER WEEKLY AWARD WINNERS

NEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Aug. 18: Gabriella Garcia-Terrell, HOW
Aug. 25: Hailey Knapp, WC
Sept. 2: Yazmeen Smith, DSU
Sept. 8: Grace Hennig, LIU
Sept. 15: Marina Burzaco, FDU
Sept. 22: Marina Burzaco, FDU & Hannah Anselmo, STO
Sept. 29: Ana Salas, FDU & Gabriella Garcia-Terrell, HU
Oct. 6: Izzy Gomez, WC
Oct. 13: Emma Radoncic, CCSU & Katia Cardaba, FDU
Oct. 20: Hannah Anselmo, STO
Oct. 27: Mikayla McPheron, LEM
Nov. 3: Ana Salas, FDU & Kayla Cassidy, STO

NEC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Aug. 18: Johoanna Hornyak, DSU
Aug. 25: Shae McGinty, WC & Aviana Gutierrez, CSU
Sept. 2: Keely Thomas, LIU
Sept. 8: Aviana Gutierrez, CSU
Sept. 15: Abigail Marcello, WC
Sept. 22: Allie Sougaris, STO
Sept. 29: Melina Ford, CCSU
Oct. 6: Keely Thomas, LIU
Oct. 13: Azjah Tocher, DSU
Oct. 20: Trinity Knox, HU
Oct. 27: Mikayla McPheron, LEM
Nov. 3: Annis-Clara Wright, MU

NEC ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Aug. 18: Johoanna Hornyak, DSU
Aug. 25: Aviana Gutierrez, CSU
Sept. 2: Riley Kerr, SFU
Sept. 8: Aviana Gutierrez, CSU
Sept. 15: Kaitlyn Dempster, SFU
Sept. 22: Brooklyn Menard, LIU
Sept. 29: Riley Kerr, SFU
Oct. 6: Dani Lomuscio, STO
Oct. 13: Brooklyn Menard, LIU
Oct. 20: Dani Lomuscio, STO
Oct. 27: Aviana Gutierrez, CSU
Nov. 3: Annis-Clara Wright, MU