Complete WAC Release
DENVER - After backstopping the NM State women's soccer team to a historic two-win week, senior goalkeeper Makenna Gottschalk has been honored for her play between the pipes.
Monday morning, the Western Athletic Conference announced the Broomfield, Colo., product has been named the WAC Defensive Player of the Week. It marks the second time in her NM State carer that Gottschalk brought home a WAC Defensive Player of the Week awards after winning her inaugural one back on March 8, 2021.
Just the second NM State student-athlete to earn a WAC Defensive Player of the Week citation since 2018, Gottschalk hiked her record to 7-6 while helping the Aggies rise to second place in the WAC's West Division standings.
Thursday night against Seattle U, Gottschalk picked up the first win over her career over the Redhawks in the Aggies' 2-1 triumph. She made five stops in that 90-minute affair while letting in just a single goal in NM State's second victory ever against Seattle U.
Less than 48 hours later, Gottschalk conjured up her third clean sheet of the year by turning away all four shots on goal she faced in the Aggies' 1-0 Sunday afternoon victory over California Baptist. The Aggies' win over the Lancers was their first in program history.
On the year, Gottschalk owns a goals against average of 1.58 and her three shutouts are the third-most by any WAC goalkeeper. For her NM State career, Gottschalk has stopped 109 shots which are the sixth-most by any NM State goalkeeper in the history of the program. With its current 7-6 record - which includes a 3-1 mark in WAC action - the Aggies are four wins shy of tying the program mark for total wins in a single season (11 in 2009). NM State's three WAC wins are one shy of tying the program record for league wins in a single season, too.
Gottschalk and the rest of the Aggies have just a single match this week as they'll head to Phoenix, Ariz., for a Saturday night showdown with Grand Canyon. The Lopes and Aggies currently occupy the top two spots in the WAC's West Division standings and the top-flight tilt between the two programs is set to begin at 8:00 p.m. MT.
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