MELBOURNE, Fla. – The No. 16 Nova Southeastern University women’s soccer team had two of its members earn three 2015 Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year awards, the first three such nods in program history, in the official announcement released by the league office on Thursday.
Shark senior forward Sierra Lelii (R-Sr., Seminole, Fla.) netted both the SSC Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year honors, while junior defender Cydney Niedermeyer (Fort Myers, Fla.) was voted by the league coaches as SSC Defensive Player of the Year.
Lelii leads the league in all offensive scoring categories, including a program single-season record of 18 goals, the seventh-highest tally in the country. Her 1.13 goals per game ranks fourth nationally. She is also ninth in all of DII in points per game and 14th in total points, 39 and counting, which also shattered the NSU women single-season mark earlier in the season.
Niedermeyer heads up a tenacious, and often unheralded, Shark defense that has allowed just 1.3 goals per game and pitched five shutouts, including the 1-0 regular season finale win that clinched the SSC’s No. 2 seed. The 5-9 centerback leads the team with 1,334 minutes played, and is the only Shark to start in all 16 matches. She’s also fourth on the team with three goals.
The duo each also earned First Team All-SSC selections on Wednesday, with goalkeeper Amanda Kopale (R-Jr., Cape Coral, Fla.) chosen as a Second Team honoree for the second time in her career. Kopale has allowed just 1.1 goals per contest, fourth-best in the SSC, while her save percentage of 82.8 ranks third. She has two full shutouts among her six wins, and has tallied just under 800 minutes in net, the team’s high.
The 12-3-1 and second-seeded Sharks will play in Friday’s semifinal round of the SSC Championship, beginning at 4:30 p.m. They will take on No. 3 seed Tampa at Barry’s Buccaneer Field in Miami Shores, and should they advance, would qualify for Sunday’s championship match beginning at 1 p.m.
2015 Sunshine State Conference Women’s Soccer Awards
Player of the Year: Sierra Lelii, Nova Southeastern
Offensive Player of the Year: Sierra Lelii, Nova Southeastern
Defensive Player of the Year: Cydney Niedermeyer, Nova Southeastern
Freshman of the Year: Kathryn O’Brien, Rollins
Coach of the Year: Denise Brolly, Barry
| 2015 Women’s Soccer All-SSC First Team | ||||
| Pos. F F F M M M M D D D G AL |
Name Sierra Lelii^ Shanice Robe* Arielle Kabangu*~ Lavinia Nkomo*~ Cici Gonzalez*~% Christy Grimshaw Paxton Sickler*~ Miranda Gonzalez Katie Turner* Cydney Niedermeyer Paula Forero Caroline Frykgard^ |
School Nova Southeastern Barry Saint Leo Barry Tampa Barry Rollins Tampa Barry Nova Southeastern Barry Tampa |
Yr. R-Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. So. Jr. Jr. Jr. So. |
Hometown Seminole, Fla. Valley Stream, N.Y. Ottawa, Canada Southampton, England Lutz, Fla. Aberdeen, Scotland Apopka, Fla. Lutz, Fla. Las Vegas, Nev. Fort Myers, Fla. Bogata, Colombia Stockholm, Sweden |
| 2015 Women’s Soccer All-SSC Second Team | ||||
| Pos. F F F F M M M M D D D D G AL |
Name Emma Bloom Keira McCarthy Donish Cole Nastasia Asgedom Amanda Traynor Genevieve Gignac Eva Banton Lauren Moore Megan Block Alyssa Picascio Amber Smith Selena Jaimes^ Amanda Kopale# Julia Kantor+ |
School Rollins Florida Tech Lynn Tampa Barry Saint Leo Florida Tech Tampa Rollins Barry Barry Saint Leo Nova Southeastern Florida Tech |
Yr. Jr. Fr. Fr. Fr. So. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. R-Jr. Sr. |
Hometown Maitland, Fla. Melbourne, Fla. Boca Raton, Fla. Tampa, Fla. Glasgow, Scotland Ottawa, Canada Melbourne, Fla. Tampa, Fla. Jacksonville, Fla. Farmingville, N.Y. Boonsboro, Md. Apopka, Fla. Cape Coral, Fla. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. |
* = 2014 First Team
^ = 2014 Second Team
~ = 2013 First Team
+ = 2013 Second Team
% = 2012 First Team
# = 2012 Second Team