Soccer All-Stars for 2012-13
KELOWNA, BC – The Pacific Western Athletic Association (PACWEST) has announced its 2012-13 women’s and men’s all-star selections. The UBC Okanagan Heat women’s soccer team was well represented with five players chosen for the third year in a row. The men’s squad placed two players on the all-star team for the second straight year.
The all-stars for the women’s Heat squad are defender Hayley Carlson (2nd year, Red Deer, AB), forward Kirsten Dodds (2nd year Vernon, BC), fullback Jennifer Kidd (4th year, Richmond, BC), keeper Christine Tallon (3rd year, Kamloops, BC), and freshman midfielder Mairi Horth (Ladysmith, BC).
The men’s soccer team placed third year midfielder Austin Jones (Vernon, BC) and freshman defender David Yesaya (North York, ON) among the PACWEST All-Stars.
The women’s team all-stars:
It appears Carlson and Dodds avoided the sophomore jinx as both players have been elected to the all-star squad in both their rookie and sophomore seasons.
Hayley Carlson has been a force on the Heat back line all season long; the 2011 Academic All-Canadian has been even more impressive in her sophomore season. The Heat have allowed only 9 goals in 12 games and the strong backline is a big part of the team’s stinginess. An instrumental player for UBC Okanagan, Hayley’s athleticism, composure and soccer IQ make her the dominant player she is. Carlson has shut the door on many attacks this year and has been dominant in the air.
Kirsten Dodds make things happen on the pitch; this slippery second year forward has caused other teams all kinds of problems over the season, and her fancy footwork has opened up so many chances for herself and her team mates. If she isn’t scoring the goals (Dodds finished with five on the season, good for fifth in the PACWEST), she is setting up her teammates.
Christine is a first year keeper for the Heat after transferring from the University of Alberta. Sharing the goalkeeping responsibilities this year for the Heat, Tallon has had an outstanding season with five shut outs in just seven starts between the pipes, and her .29 GAA has her on top of the PACWEST leaderboard. Tallon features great size and athleticism, which along with her fearlessness allow her to cover every inch of the goal. Christine has made numerous highlight reel quality saves over the season.
Jennifer Kidd’s incredible career continues as she has been named an all-star all four of her years at UBC Okanagan. Jennifer has been a stalwart of the UBC Okanagan back line; she uses all of her 5’3″ frame to battle and win the ball. Not only is she a fantastic defender, she is also a tremendous threat going forward as she has a rocket of a shot with a range of greater than 35 yards out. Not only can she rip it in the back of the goal from distance, she can also whip in dangerous balls to the box, creating many chances for her teammates.
Head coach Claire Peterson has proven her skill in recruiting players, with Horth making the all-star team as a first year player. This is the fourth straight year a rookie player for the Heat has made the squad since 2009-10, Paterson’s second year as coach.
Impactful is what Mairi has been as a first year player for UBC Okanagan. Horth has excelled as both a central midfielder and also up front, doing a fantastic job in both spots. With her tremendous work ethic, speed, and great individual skills she has caused difficulties for opposing teams as she takes them on 1 v 1 on the wings. Her hard work pays off as she sets up her team mates for goals – many of them late in the game, salvaging a win or a tie.
The men’s team all-stars:
Austin is a tireless worker both at training and during games and has played both in midfield and as a striker with a good ability to finish when he has the chance. Austin’s finish has him seventh in league in scoring with six goals. Jones accounted for nearly half of the team’s offense this season – many of the breathtaking variety.
The Heat’s backline was injected with a ton of athleticism when David Yeseya joined the squad. This first year defender is very good both in the air and on the ground with good pace. His presence at the back created havoc for opposing teams as he could quickly stop the advancing ball and aggressively push the Heat into an offensive attack.
The five UBC Okanagan Heat women all-stars will be honoured at the upcoming provincial championships in Squamish before their first semi-final matchup, Friday at 4:30 p.m. when they play host Quest University.
The rest of the All-Stars are listed here: PACWEST Release [PDF]
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