University of Connecticut Athletics
BIG EAST Women's Soccer Postseason Awards Announced
5/15/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
November 6, 2008
NOTRE DAME, Ind. - The University of Connecticut women's soccer team received five postseason awards Thursday during the BIG EAST Tournament banquet the night before the semifinal games were to take place. Senior Stephanie Labbe (Stony Plain, Alberta) was named to the BIG EAST First Team, senior Brittany Tegeler (Baldwin, Md.) and sophomore Kacey Richards (Williamstown, N.J.) garnered BIG EAST Second Team honors and junior Annie Yi (Indianapolis, Ind.) made the BIG EAST Third Team. Labbe was also named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year.
"I think the awards received tonight show that although we are having a tough time this year our players are still playing consistently and the other coaches in the league recognize that," said Head Coach Len Tsantiris.
Labbe's performance this season earned her the title of Goalkeeper of the Year after she recorded a 1.03 GAA and 96 saves over 1,827 minutes in goal. Labbe is the second Husky to receive the award of Goalkeeper of the Year and the first since 2002 when Maria Yatrakis won the award. She tallied six shutouts over 20 games including five in 11 league contests. Labbe had the highest save percentage in the BIG EAST at .877. Entering the semifinal match, Labbe has only allowed four goals in the last six games.
"The award that Steph has received is very meaningful because this season she has been an outstanding goalie even though the players in front of her were very young. She is the best goalie in the BIG EAST right now."
Richards was one of the most consistent players for the Huskies this season as she, like Labbe, only missed one game on the season making 19 starts in 19 games and playing 1,814 minutes for the Huskies in the midfield. She only tallied three points on the season but all came in BIG EAST play as she got her first point of the season on an assist against DePaul adding her first goal of the season against Syracuse.
"Kacey is one of the most consistent players on our team this season," said Tsantiris. "She was out there all game for every game we played."
Tegeler came up clutch for the Huskies when they needed it the most in BIG EAST play. She scored the only two goals for the Huskies in their game against Pittsburgh setting UConn off on a three-game unbeaten streak, their longest of the season. She scored the only goal of the game for the Huskies in their tie against St. John's allowing them to remain in third place in the Atlantic Division and get a bye during the first round of the tournament. Tegeler is tied for first place on the team in goals scored with five.
Yi rounded out the awards for the Huskies. Her award was well deserved as she, with Tegeler, was tied for first place in goals scored on the team with five. Yi led the team in game-winning goals with three after she scored the game-winner against Georgetown moving the Huskies back to the Semifinal Round for the first time since 2005.
"Brittany and Annie have both come up big for us when we needed them the most," said Tsantiris. "They made some big time goals that have helped us to get to where we are right now."
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