Nov. 10, 2008
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame senior defender and co-captain Carrie Dew (Encinitas, Calif./La Costa Canyon) has been selected as the Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week, it was announced Monday. Dew becomes the second Irish player to earn that honor this season, following senior All-America forward/Hermann Trophy candidate Kerri Hanks’ selection back on Sept. 1. Dew also becomes a two-time TDS National Team of the Week choice this season, joining Hanks (four times), senior All-America forward/Hermann Trophy candidate Brittany Bock (Oct. 21) and freshman forward Melissa Henderson (twice) as Notre Dame players who have garnered that distinction in 2008.
In addition, Monday’s announcement marks the second time in Dew’s career that she has bee named the national player of the week, having collecting consensus honors on Sept. 25, 2006 after scoring a goal and helping hold Louisville to four shots (none on goal) in a 2-0 win at Alumni Field.
The two-time BIG EAST Conference Defensive Player of the Year (2006, 2008), Dew also was named the 2008 BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Defensive Player after anchoring a Notre Dame defense that shut out all three opponents in the conference tournament en route to the program’s 10th BIG EAST title. The Irish also held their three postseason foes to a combined four shots on goal, with Connecticut notching half of those in Sunday’s title game, won by Notre Dame in overtime, 1-0. Dew played a pivotal role in that victory, coming up with several timely defensive stops from all parts of the field, including a perfectly-timed open-field tackle on UConn’s Erin Clark midway through the first half, preventing a potential breakaway chance.
For the season, Dew and her Notre Dame defensive mates have posted a 0.38 goals-against average, allowing just eight goals in 21 games with 14 shutouts to their credit (six in the past seven games). The Irish also have limited opponents to a total of 48 shots on goal all season, and have not allowed more than six shots on frame in any game thus far (Oct. 5 by Marquette).
Top-ranked Notre Dame (21-0-0) already has secured the first unbeaten and untied regular season in school history and clinched the BIG EAST’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament by virtue of their win in Sunday’s conference title game. The Irish will learn their postseason path on Monday when the full 64-team NCAA field is announced at 8 p.m. (ET) on ESPNEWS.
— ND —