Hokie ClubGREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Announced today by the Atlantic Coast Conference, Virginia Tech junior goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn has been tabbed the ACC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, while North Carolina sophomore forward Alessia Russo picked up this week's Offensive Player of the Week honor.
This is the second ACC Defensive Player of the Week honor this year for McGlynn, as she earned the first on Aug. 21 after the season-opening weekend. It's the third of her career, as she was once named last year (ironically) on Oct. 3. Before the season, McGlynn was selected to the 2018 Preseason All-ACC Women's Soccer Team, as announced by the league and voted on by the conference's coaches.
With today's selection, McGlynn becomes the first Tech women's soccer player ever to earn two "player of the week" honors in the same season, regardless of conference, while the three in her career match her for the most ever, as well, regardless of league. Only two Hokies have ever earned multiple honors in their careers – Murielle Tiernan, who picked up three ACC weekly honors at Tech (Sept. 16, 2014, Aug. 24, 2015 and Sept. 6, 2016), and Mallory Soldner, who earned a BIG EAST (Sept. 15, 2003) and an ACC (Oct. 24, 2005) weekly honor.
The Hokies were the only ACC team to pick up six points over the past week with the help of McGlynn, while Tech has actually won three straight ACC matches, all by shutout. McGlynn has posted six shutouts in her last seven matches and has increased her career total to 19 to go along with 25 wins. Both are third all-time at the school and closing in on Soldner, who sits second in both at 20 and 28 respectively.
The week started with Tech posting a 1-0 shutout against No. 6 Virginia last Thursday, as the Hokies held Virginia scoreless for the first time since Oct. 9, 2008, also a 1-0 win in Blacksburg. It also marked the team's first victory over a top 10 program since Nov. 8, 2013 (vs. No. 1 Virginia, 4-2 in ACC Championship semifinal).
The Jacksonville, Florida native made six saves in that contest, including four in the second half to keep the clean sheet. She outdueled her U-20 US Women's National teammate, Virginia GK Laurel Ivory, as well, as Tech won for only the fourth time in 20 matches against its in-state rival.
McGlynn needed just one save to pick up her seventh shutout of the year, tying for the second most ever in a single season at the school, in a 2-0 victory over Pittsburgh on Sunday.
McGlynn has not been scored on in almost 296 minutes – the third longest streak ever for a Tech goalkeeper against ACC opponents. However, it's not her longest stretch, which is 309:16 set last year (Sept. 24-Oct. 8). The all-time leader is Dayle Colpitts, who went 359:34 during the 2013 season (Sept. 12-26), who also posted the most shutouts in a single year with 11 that season.
The Hokies three-match winning streak in conference is the team's longest since 2015 and McGlynn's efforts mark just the second time ever Tech has shut out three straight ACC foes (Colpitts, Sept. 15-22, 2013). They opened the ACC schedule 3-1, tying for their second-best ever start in the league (2009, 4-0; 2013 and 2015, 3-1).
The Hokies continue the 2018 season with a pair of tough road matches this week – first heading to Massachusetts to take on Boston College, who was ranked No. 11 entering last week, on Thursday at 7 p.m. Then, next Sunday, the team will be in North Carolina to face Duke (No. 15 to start the week), with a 1 p.m. kickoff (PLEASE NOTE THE NEW START TIME).