Marquette University Athletics
Bireley, Garcia Earn BIG EAST Weekly Accolades
4/11/2022 12:46:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
Bireley named Freshman of the Week while Garcia nabs another Weekly Honor Roll accolade
NEW YORK — A pair of Marquette women's lacrosse players earned BIG EAST weekly honors following their performance in the team's 19-14 win over Villanova on Saturday, the league office announced Monday afternoon. Attacker/midfielder Meg Bireley was named as the league's Freshman of the Week, while senior attacker Shea Garcia earned a spot on the Weekly Honor Roll.
Bireley, a Glenview, Illinois, native, came up big for the Golden Eagles as she totaled five points on a career-high four goals to go along with an assist off the bench. She took a game-high eight shots, seven of which were on goal. She is the first MU player to earn Freshman of the Week honors since Hannah Greving on Feb. 24, 2020.Â
Garcia also had a five-point outing in the contest, hers coming on three goals and a pair of assists. The Manhasset, New York, native also recorded a ground ball and a caused turnover, while taking six shots in the contest. This is her third Weekly Honor Roll appearance and fourth overall weekly honor this season.
BIG EAST Attacker Of The Week
Julia Gilbert, Denver, Grad., A
Gilbert tied for the game high with three goals in the eighth-ranked Pioneers' overtime win over 20th-ranked Connecticut on Saturday. No goal was bigger than her score with 1:18 remaining in OT to clinch the victory for Denver and keep the Pioneers unbeaten (2-0) in BIG EAST play. She also provided a go-ahead score with 9:40 remaining in regulation, giving Denver its first lead since the opening minute of the contest. She finished with a game-high 10 shots and assisted on Kipp Sloane's score in the third which tied the game at 10-10.Â
BIG EAST Midfielder Of The Week
Sydney Watson, Connecticut, Sr., M
In an overtime setback at No. 8 Denver on Saturday, Watson broke her own program record with 20 draw controls against the Pioneers. The senior also notched a season-high four assists to go along with two goals. Watson scored the 20th-ranked Huskies' first goal of the game before assisting on three straight goals as UConn jumped out to an early 4-1 advantage. She added a goal and assist in a back-and-fourth third quarter. Watson also snapped the UConn career scoring record with her 187th career goal.Â
BIG EAST Defensive Player Of The Week
Gracie DeRose, Denver, Sr., D
DeRose was crucial defensively down the stretch for the eighth-ranked Pioneers in their win over 20th-ranked Connecticut on Saturday. All three of the senior's three caused turnovers came in the fourth quarter to keep Denver in the game, including halting the Huskies' final two possessions of regulation. The Pioneers finished with 11 caused turnovers on the afternoon and dealt UConn its first loss since Feb. 19.Â
BIG EAST Freshman Of The Week
Meg Bireley, Marquette, Fr., A/M
Bireley matched the game high with five points off four goals and an assist in the Golden Eagles' 19-14 win over Villanova. The rookie's four scores were a career best. Bireley took eight shots on the afternoon with seven landing on target.Â
BIG EAST Weekly Honor RollÂ
Erin Bakes, Georgetown, Grad., M – six points off five goals and an assist in a 17-7 win at Butler on Saturday; credited with the game winner while adding a ground ball and caused turnover
Shea Garcia, Marquette, Sr., A – five points off three goals and two assists in a 19-14 win over Villanova; four of six shots were on goal
Caroline Curnal, Villanova, Sr., A – scored a hat trick while matching her season high with 13 draw controls at Marquette on Saturday; added two ground balls and a caused turnover in the setback
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Bireley, a Glenview, Illinois, native, came up big for the Golden Eagles as she totaled five points on a career-high four goals to go along with an assist off the bench. She took a game-high eight shots, seven of which were on goal. She is the first MU player to earn Freshman of the Week honors since Hannah Greving on Feb. 24, 2020.Â
Garcia also had a five-point outing in the contest, hers coming on three goals and a pair of assists. The Manhasset, New York, native also recorded a ground ball and a caused turnover, while taking six shots in the contest. This is her third Weekly Honor Roll appearance and fourth overall weekly honor this season.
BIG EAST Attacker Of The Week
Julia Gilbert, Denver, Grad., A
Gilbert tied for the game high with three goals in the eighth-ranked Pioneers' overtime win over 20th-ranked Connecticut on Saturday. No goal was bigger than her score with 1:18 remaining in OT to clinch the victory for Denver and keep the Pioneers unbeaten (2-0) in BIG EAST play. She also provided a go-ahead score with 9:40 remaining in regulation, giving Denver its first lead since the opening minute of the contest. She finished with a game-high 10 shots and assisted on Kipp Sloane's score in the third which tied the game at 10-10.Â
BIG EAST Midfielder Of The Week
Sydney Watson, Connecticut, Sr., M
In an overtime setback at No. 8 Denver on Saturday, Watson broke her own program record with 20 draw controls against the Pioneers. The senior also notched a season-high four assists to go along with two goals. Watson scored the 20th-ranked Huskies' first goal of the game before assisting on three straight goals as UConn jumped out to an early 4-1 advantage. She added a goal and assist in a back-and-fourth third quarter. Watson also snapped the UConn career scoring record with her 187th career goal.Â
BIG EAST Defensive Player Of The Week
Gracie DeRose, Denver, Sr., D
DeRose was crucial defensively down the stretch for the eighth-ranked Pioneers in their win over 20th-ranked Connecticut on Saturday. All three of the senior's three caused turnovers came in the fourth quarter to keep Denver in the game, including halting the Huskies' final two possessions of regulation. The Pioneers finished with 11 caused turnovers on the afternoon and dealt UConn its first loss since Feb. 19.Â
BIG EAST Freshman Of The Week
Meg Bireley, Marquette, Fr., A/M
Bireley matched the game high with five points off four goals and an assist in the Golden Eagles' 19-14 win over Villanova. The rookie's four scores were a career best. Bireley took eight shots on the afternoon with seven landing on target.Â
BIG EAST Weekly Honor RollÂ
Erin Bakes, Georgetown, Grad., M – six points off five goals and an assist in a 17-7 win at Butler on Saturday; credited with the game winner while adding a ground ball and caused turnover
Shea Garcia, Marquette, Sr., A – five points off three goals and two assists in a 19-14 win over Villanova; four of six shots were on goal
Caroline Curnal, Villanova, Sr., A – scored a hat trick while matching her season high with 13 draw controls at Marquette on Saturday; added two ground balls and a caused turnover in the setback
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Players Mentioned
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