Claire Oates Named AAC Women's Soccer Rookie Of The Week

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

Oates Named The American's Rookie Of The Week
Freshman Records All Three Goals In 3-2 Win At Houston

Sept. 29, 2014

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AMERICAN/SMU) – SMU women’s soccer player Claire Oates was named the American Athletic Conference’s Rookie of the Week, the conference announced on Monday.

The Long Beach, California, native tallied a hat trick in SMU’s 3-2 victory over Houston, the team’s conference opener. Oates scored all three goals in the first 11 minutes of the game. Oates’ first two scores came on corner kicks from fellow freshman Lauren Harrington. Both times, Harrington found Oates on the back post, where she was able to drive headers into the back of the net. Rikki Clarke recorded the assist on Oates’ third goal, as she slipped a through ball to Oates who sent a low shot past the Houston goalkeeper.

In SMU’s 3-0 loss to BYU, Oates led the team in shots with three. The freshman midfielder played the full 90 minutes in both matches.

This marks the second time Oates has been honored by The American. On Sept. 1, she was named to the weekly honor roll.

Oates’ five goals this season leads the Mustangs and is good for a tie for fifth in the conference.

After Lauren Guerra won the same award last week, SMU has now earned the conference’s Rookie of the Week award for two consecutive weeks.

See the full list of weekly conference honors here.

This weekend, Oates and the Mustangs head to the Sunshine State for conference matches against UCF and USF. On Friday, SMU will take on UCF at 6 p.m. CT. The Ponies then head to USF for an 11 a.m. CT showdown on Sunday.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Claire Oates was named American conference player of the week by collegesportsmadness.com as well!

http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/article/9826