SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- Three Notre Dame players - senior midfielder
Breanne Hunter, junior goalkeeper
Emilie Lamarche and senior defender
Caley Prendergast - were named to All-American Mideast Conference Team, as published by the AMC on Tuesday. (
AMC Release)
The three Falcon veterans were named to the league’s First Team, which along with a Second Team, Third Team, honorable mentions, and individual awards, was selected by a vote of AMC coaches. Forward
Lauren Acker earned a Second Team nod for NDC, while defender
Jessica Mazzorato was voted onto the Third Team.
Morgan Lichtinger was tabbed as an honorable mention.
The NDC contingent was mostly recognized as a defensive unit - the Falcons currently rank third in the 12-team league in goals allowed per game (1.00). Among Tuesday’s honorees, only Acker (nine goals) and Prendergast (five assists) have figured much in the Falcon offense. The NDC defense spurred the squad to a late season run that eventually landed them in the AMC postseason with a second-place 8-3 conference mark. The Falcons (11-6 overall) head into the AMC Tournament on the heels of four straight wins and with eight victories in their last nine matches.
For Hunter, Lamarche and Prendergast, the AMC recognition is nothing new. Hunter was a Second Team honoree a year ago (2008); Lamarche and Prendergast were First Teamers in 2008. Lamarche was also a First Team All-AMC North selection in 2007, when the league did not recognize an overall AMC team. (Prendergast was an honorable mention on the 2007 All-North squad.)
All three have played a key role in the Blue & White allowing just 17 goals in as many matches this season. Lamarche, playing 83 minutes per contest in 13 matches, has recorded an .857 save percentage to go with a 1.16 goals-against average.
League champ Houghton (N.Y.) dominated the awards release. The 14-1-3 Highlanders figured in the Player and Coach of the Year awards (Keeler Topping, David Lewis). HC also won the conference’s Fair Play Award, and four Highlanders were named to the All-AMC First Team. Shawnee State’s Brittney Burke was tabbed as the AMC’s Freshman of the Year.
The awards come just days before Notre Dame takes to the field in an AMC Tournament First Round game. The Falcons are slated to host Walsh in a match likely to be held this weekend.