W-League News Release
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
TAMPA, Fla. – The W-League announced its Team of the Week for Week 2 of the 2013 season today, honoring LA Strikers midfielder Rachel Daly as Player of the Week after she led the defensive effort as the Strikers shut out Pali 2-0, handing the powerhouse Blues only their second home defeat in six seasons.
Daly’s midfield partner Jamie Bell was also named to the team after she scored the game-winning goal in the upset win. Rounding out the midfield is Atlanta’s Stacy Balaam, who scored a goal and dictated the midfield play as the Silverbacks improved to 2-0 with a 3-0 victory against Charlotte.
The Team of the Week defense is led by a pair who scored game-winning goals in a two-game weekend series between VSI Tampa Bay and Carolina Elite. Carolina’s Hannah Gmerek scored the winner in Friday night’s 1-0 Cobras victory, and Cara Patterson returned the favor in a 2-0 VSI Tampa Bay win Sunday. Gmerek’s teammate Rose Hull, who made five saves Friday night, was chosen as the goalkeeper after earning her first shutout.
Also selected on defense are the Long Island Rough Riders’ Amanda Ferranti, who scored a goal in a 3-1 victory against Fredericksburg, and the Washington Spirit Reserves’ Meghan Cox, who led her team to a shutout victory against Virginia Beach.
Washington striker Ashley Herndon leads the forward contingent, the high school senior having scored the game-winner vs. Virginia Beach, and she is joined by Luisa Echeverry of Long Island and Atlanta’s Savannah Jordan, who each had a goal and an assist in their teams’ wins.
W-League Team of the Week
| Pos | Player | Team | Highlights |
| GK | Rose Hull | Carolina | Made 5 saves in shutout win vs. Tampa Bay |
| D | Amanda Ferranti | Long Island | Scored goal, solid D performance vs. FASA |
| D | Cara Patterson | Tampa Bay | Scored GWG as Tampa Bay earned 1st win |
| D | Hannah Gmerek | Carolina | Scored GWG, led D to shutout vs. Tampa Bay |
| D | Meghan Cox | Washington | HS senior led D that held VB scoreless |
| M | Stacey Balaam | Atlanta | PK goal, controlled midfield vs. Charlotte |
| M | Jamie Bell | LA | Scored GWG at Pali |
| M | Rachel Daly | LA | Defensive mid shut down Pali attack |
| F | Luisa Echeverry | Long Island | Goal, assist in 3-1 win vs. Fredericksburg |
| F | Ashley Herndon | Washington | HS senior scored GWG vs. Virginia Beach |
| F | Savannah Jordan | Atlanta | Goal, assist in 3-0 win vs. Charlotte |
Honorable Mention – Atlanta - Jane Campbell, Cherie Sayon; Fredericksburg - Rebecca Burrows, Caty Butler, Ashley Herndon, Jesse McGinley; Long Island - Amanda Epstein; Los Angeles – Kristy Krohn; New York - Kelci Hegg, Aya Noguchi; VSI Tampa Bay – Karina Gutsche.