CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Notre Dame junior midfielder/forward Ellie Ospeck was selected as the Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week and Florida State senior midfielder Ran Iwai was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Week for matches played Oct. 2-8.
Ospeck totaled a goal and five assists in Notre Dame’s pair of conference victories last week. In Thursday’s 3-1 home victory over Boston College, the Danville, California, native posted a pair of assists and recorded the eventual game-winning goal in the 72nd minute, as the four-point effort was the first of her collegiate career. In Sunday’s win over Miami, Ospeck notched an assist hat trick in just 53 minutes on the pitch, as her combined seven points for the two-match span was the most in the ACC last week.
Iwai was a key component in Florida State’s two clean sheets last week, as the Seminoles extended their shutout streak to three consecutive matches. Playing in the defensive midfield, the Mitaka City, Tokyo, Japan, native helped to limit Louisville and Boston College to just two shots on goal combined for the week. In addition to aiding in the shutouts, Iwai tallied three assists on the week, including a career-high two helpers in a home victory over BC on Sunday.
A pair of conference unbeaten teams square off on Thursday on ACC Network, when Notre Dame visits Florida State to begin a busy weekend of ACC Women’s Soccer. The matchup is a rematch of last season’s semifinals of the 2022 ACC Tournament where FSU eliminated the Fighting Irish in penalty kicks after the teams played to a 3-3 draw.
ACC Network Extra will broadcast a combined five matchups on Friday and Saturday, headlined by a key doubleheader on Friday when Clemson heads to Duke at 5 p.m. and North Carolina takes on Wake Forest at 7 p.m. On Sunday, a rivalry rekindles when Virginia Tech visits Virginia at 1:30 p.m. on ACC Network.
2023 ACC Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Aug. 22 – Taylor Huff, Jr., M/F, Florida State
Aug. 29 – Sarah Schupansky, Jr., F, Pitt
Sept. 5 – Meredith McDermott, So., F, Virginia
Sept. 12 – Avery Patterson, Sr., F, North Carolina
Sept. 19 – Carina Lageyre, So., M, Duke
Sept. 26 – Ally Sentnor, R-So., M/F, North Carolina
Oct. 2 – Kiki Van Zanten, Gr., M, Notre Dame
Oct. 10 – Ellie Ospeck, Jr., M/F, Notre Dame
2023 ACC Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 22 – Savy King, Fr., D, North Carolina
Aug. 29 – Sam Meza, Sr., M, North Carolina
Sept. 5 – Savy King, Fr., D, North Carolina
Sept. 12 – Halle Mackiewicz, Sr., GK, Clemson
Sept. 19 – Maycee Bell, R-Sr., D, North Carolina
Sept. 26 – Mackenzie Duff, Jr., D, Clemson
Oct. 2 – Laurel Ansbrow, Jr., D, Wake Forest
Oct. 10 – Ran Iwai, Sr., M, Florida State