COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Emily Chavez, a sophomore defender from Albuquerque was honored as the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Week by league officials on Monday. It’s the first Player of the Week honor for the Lobos, who currently are in second place in the Mountain West with one game left in the regular season.
In earning the honor, Chavez became the first player in New Mexico history, and third overall in the Mountain West, to have earned both Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors in her career. San Diego State’s Noelle Joglet did it in 2003 and 2004, and Tiffany Hurst, also of SDSU, did it in 2012. Chavez was the MW’s Offensive Player of the Week last year.
San Diego State’s Angela Mitchell was named the Offensive Player of the Week.
The Lobos picked up a pair of road shutouts over the weekend, 1-0 at Colorado College and 3-0 at Air Force. Chavez was instrumental in both. For the weekend, she led a defense that allowed just 11 shots, seven by Colorado College and four by Air Force, with just five total on net. Against Colorado College, she helped limit Sarah Schweiss of the Tigers to no shots on net after she came into the game as one of the top goal scorers in the league.
Against Air Force, she also added an assist on UNM’s final goal, her first points of the season.
“It’s a great honor, but it’s definitely a team effort,” said Chavez. “The best thing about the weekend was getting two wins.”
Those two wins set up UNM to potentially clinch second place and a bye in the conference tournament. The Lobos host regular season champion San Diego State in the regular season finale at 7 p.m. on Friday night at the UNM Soccer Complex. UNM would be clinch second place with a win, or with a tie and a San José State tie or loss. UNM would still finish second if San José State loses to Fresno State on Friday. The Lobo can finish no lower than third.