GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced its weekly awards following Week 4 action of the 2024 women's soccer season. Michigan Tech senior forward Julia Pietila was recognized with GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors while Saginaw Valley State junior goalkeeper Lainey Garbarz was honored as GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Julia Pietila, Michigan Tech
Senior forward Julia Pietila, hailing from Hartland, Michigan, helped the Huskies play to a weekend split in the first conference road trip of the season, falling to Purdue Northwest 2-1 Friday and a feel-good 6-0 win at Roosevelt on Sunday. In Sunday’s win, the senior forward posted a four-point effort with two goals and an assist in just 44 minutes on the pitch. She sits atop the GLIAC with six goals in seven games played, two game-winning goals and 13 points (six goals and one assist). Her performance helped the Huskies to a 4-3 record overall and 2-2 in the loop.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Lainey Garbarz, Saginaw Valley State
Saginaw Valley State University women’s soccer junior goalkeeper Lainey Garbarz was named Defensive Player of the Week by the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) office on Monday. Garbarz led the Cardinals in a 0-0 tie against No. 1 Grand Valley State University on Friday. She stopped all six shots she faced including multiple high percentage scoring chances for the Lakers. She earned her fourth shutout of the season and 16th of her three-year career at SVSU. This is the first Defensive Player of the Week award for Saginaw Valley women’s soccer this season and the first of Garbarz’s career.
HONORABLE MENTION
Offense: Haley Buckman (Ferris State), Emma Chudik (Grand Valley State), Brooke Pietila (Northern Michigan), Stephanie Strong (Saginaw Valley State)
Defense: Rokaya Ajami (Purdue Northwest), Brinley Bell (Ferris State), Kacy Lauer (Grand Valley State), Sally Patton (Northern Michigan)
