11/03/2008
Women's Soccer's Clark Earns NEWMAC Honor; Women's Swimmer Smith Receives First-Ever NEWMAC Nod

WORCESTER, MASS. 11/3/08 - Clark University's Joanna Clark was named the women's soccer New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) player of the week for the second time this season and Erin Smith received the conference's first-ever women's swimmer of the week honor, it was announced on Monday.

In 200:00 minutes of action, Clark allowed just one goal for a 0.45 goals against average and stopped 14 shots (.933 %) in two games for the Cougars. The junior goalkeeper had a stellar performance in the team's NEWMAC quarterfinal round game, where they advanced past third-seed Babson College in penalty kick's last Saturday. She made a career-high 12 saves, netted the decisive penalty kick and then stopped Babson's final PK to help Clark, the sixth-seed, advance in the tournament. Earlier in the week, the Windham, Maine native made two saves in a regular season loss to MIT (1-0).

Clark shared the honor with Wheaton's Melida Alvarez.

Smith, from Carrollton, Tex., led Clark with a combined four wins in two meets last week. The freshman freestyler garnered victories in the 500-yard freestyle (25.99) and 100-yard freestyle (56.69) in Clark's 155-137 win against Babson. She also placed second in the 50-yard butterfly (28.41) to add points to Clark's lead. On Saturday, Smith won the 200-yard freestyle (2:01.99) and the 500-yard freestyle (5:26.66) to power the Cougars past Mount Holyoke (81-59) and Elms College (115-24) in a double-dual meet.

The Clark women's soccer team earned the sixth-seed in the NEWMAC Tournament and will play second-seed Wheaton College in the semifinals at Springfield College on Saturday (5 p.m.). The women's swimming and diving team will be off until Wednesday, Nov. 19 (6 pm), when they will face Bridgewater State College.