GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Florida State junior forward Deyna Castellanos has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, while teammate senior defender Natalia Kuikka and North Carolina sophomore defender Brooke Bingham share this week’s ACC Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Castellanos carried the Seminole offense to a pair of road wins over the weekend, at Pitt (4-0) and at No. 6 Virginia (2-0). Castellanos scored the first goal of the match at Pitt, assisted on the next two goals, and was involved on the final goal of the game as her corner kick bounced off several players in the penalty box before Kuikka put it in the back of the net. On Sunday at Virginia, her aggressive play resulted in the game-winning goal in the 18th minute as a controlling touch by UVA's goalkeeper was too far out in front and Castellanos took advantage and shot it into the net. It marked the first FSU goal at Virginia since 2011, leading the Seminoles to their first win in Charlottesville in program history.
Kuikka was a strong foundation to Florida State's pair of shutout victories on the road this week. The senior captained the defense in each shutout, holding Pitt to just two shots in the match and limiting Virginia's scoring chances. The Cavaliers managed seven corner kicks in the match, but only were able to take one shot on any of the opportunities due to the FSU set piece defending. In UVA's best scoring chance of the second half, Kuikka ran down Rebecca Jarrett, who had gotten behind the Florida State defense, and disrupted her as she dribbled into the box, holding off her shot attempt to help preserve the shutout. She also contributed offensively in both wins, scoring the final goal at Pitt after a Seminole corner kick in the 64th minute, and assisting on the second goal at Virginia with an aggressive run from the back line to find Anna Patten in front of an open net to put FSU up 2-0 before halftime.
Bingham played all 180 minutes in a pair of ACC shutouts for the Tar Heels, one of only two UNC players to play all 90 minutes in both matches this week. She led a stout defensive effort that blanked high-scoring Boston College 1-0 on Thursday and then helped the Tar Heels limit Miami to just two shots in a 2-0 win on Sunday. With the two wins, UNC clinched its first outright ACC regular-season championship since 2010 and its 22nd championship overall (21 outright, one shared).
ACC regular-season play concludes this week with seven league matches on Thursday. Seeds for the 2018 ACC Women’s Soccer Championship will be announced following the conclusion of Thursday’s games.
ACC Women’s Soccer Weekly Awards
Week 1 – Aug. 21
Offensive: Maisie Whitsett, Fr., F, Louisville
Co-Defensive: Julia Ashley, Sr., D, North Carolina & Mandy McGlynn, Jr., G, Virginia Tech
Week 2 – Aug. 28
Offensive: Kia Rankin, Jr., F, NC State
Defensive: Brooke Heinsohn, R-So., GK, Duke
Week 3 – Sept. 4
Offensive: Yujie Zhao, Fr., M, Florida State
Defensive: Nonie Frishette, Sr., GK, Wake Forest
Week 4 – Sept. 11
Offensive: Rebecca Jarrett, Fr., F., Virginia
Co-Defensive: Brianna Westrup, Sr., D, Virginia
Co-Defensive: Brooke Bollinger, R-Fr., GK, Florida State
Week 5 – Sept. 18
Offensive: Rachel Jones, Fr., F, North Carolina
Defensive: Taylor Otto, R-So., M, North Carolina
Week 6 – Sept. 24
Co-Offensive:
Jenna Bike, Jr., F, Boston College & Mariana Speckmaier, So., F, Clemson
Defensive: Alexis Bryant, GS, Goalkeeper, Boston College
Week 7 – Oct. 2
Offensive: Alessia Russo, So., F, North Carolina
Defensive: Mandy McGlynn, Jr., GK, Virginia Tech
Week 8 – Oct. 9
Offensive: Sam Coffey, So., M, Boston College
Co-Defensive: Alexis Bryant, GS, GK, Boston College and Sandy MacIver, Jr., GK, Clemson
Week 9 – Oct. 16
Offensive: Taylor Racioppi, Sr., F, Duke
Defensive: Sydney Wootten, Sr., GK, NC State
Week 10 – Oct. 22
Offensive: Deyna Castellanos, Jr., Fr, Florida State
Co - Defensive: Brooke Bingham, So., D, North Carolina and Natalia Kuikka, Sr., D, Florida State