DePaul is the only perfect team in league play, vaulting the Blue Demons to the top of the Conference USA standings. DePaul already has eight wins this season, putting it on pace to surpass the school record for wins in a season of 10 set last year. Over the weekend, Julianne Sitch became the program's all-time points leader. Her efforts also garnered her the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week after helping the Blue Demons to double-overtime wins over Memphis and UAB. Tulane's Megan Morey collected the Defensive Player of the Week accolades after posting consecutive shutouts of East Carolina and Charlotte.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

OFFENSIVE
Julianne Sitch, So., Midfielder/Forward
DePaul
Sitch helped DePaul move into first place in Conference USA with a pair of 2-1 double-overtime road wins at Memphis and UAB last weekend. Against the Tigers, Sitch tied the match at 1-1 with two minutes left in regulation, giving her teammate Kelly DaBaene the opportunity to score the game winner in the first overtime. She followed that performance with a game winner of her own with 35 seconds remaining in the second overtime versus the Blazers. In addition to two goals, Sitch's weekend stats included 16 shots, six of which were on goal. The Oswego, Ill., native became DePaul's career scoring leader with her tally against Memphis, giving her 41 points (17 goals, seven assists) in just 29 matches.

DEFENSIVE
Megan Morey, So., Goalkeeper
Tulane

Morey registered consecutive home shutouts as the Green Wave defeated East Carolina (3-0) and Charlotte (1-0). In Saturday's match against the Pirates she made three saves. On Sunday, Morey notched seven saves versus the 49ers, including a diving stop of Kim Moore's first half shot on goal and a punch save to preserve Tulane's first-ever win over Charlotte. Morey has not allowed a goal in 244 minutes and has notched three shutouts.


NEWS & NOTES

And Then There Was One – DePaul moved into sole possession of first place in the Conference USA standings with a pair of 2-1 double-overtime road wins at Memphis and UAB last weekend. The Blue Demons have eight wins this season, two shy of tying its school record of 10 set last season. At 8-0-2, DePaul is off to the best start in the eight-year history of the program. Also, DePaul’s 4-0-0 mark in C-USA play is a program first.

On A Roll – DePaul owns a four-match winning streak, best in C-USA, followed by USF with a three-match winning stretch. TCU and Tulane have won back-to-back contests.

Tough at Home – The Saint Louis defensive unit has been tough at home this season, not allowing a goal with a current single-season school record 465 consecutive shutout minutes at Hermann Stadium. The Billikens put that streak on the online when they entertain Louisville on Oct. 17.

An Off Week – There are no C-USA games scheduled this week. The break in league action gives conference teams a chance to take on some quality non-conference foes. East Carolina and USF battle ACC foes Wake Forest and Florida State, respectively, while Marquette hosts No. 12 California. TCU travels to Palo Alto, Calif., to participate in the Stanford Classic against Loyola Marymount and No. 11 Santa Clara. Meanwhile, other Conference USA squads take on opponents of regional interest. See page one of this release for the complete listing of this week’s matches.

Sitch Is DePaul All-Time Scoring Leader – JULIANNE SITCH became DePaul’s all-time points leader with her goal against Memphis. In just 29 matches, Sitch has 41 career points (17 goals, seven assists).

Crandell On Hermann Watch List - Charlotte forward COURTNEY CRANDELL has been named to the 2003 Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Award First Watch List. The M.A.C.’s Hermann Trophy is college soccer’s version of the Heisman Trophy and represents the highest level of individual achievement in the sport.

Last season, the Des Moines, Iowa-native led the 49ers to a school record 16 wins and the 2002 Conference USA regular-season crown by scoring a league record 21 goals and 50 points. Crandell, who became the first player in conference women’s soccer history to claim both the league’s Player and Freshman of the Year awards for the same season in 2002 and this season’s league preseason player of the year.

C-USA HONOR ROLL

SHERRY SLYE - CINCINNATI
Slye recorded 20 saves over the weekend in UC¹s losses against UAB and USF. Slye faced 18 shots and made 11 saves, allowing only two goals against UAB, and faced 16 shots, allowing only two goals with nine saves against USF. She has 38 saves on the year.

ANASTASIA NIKAS – EAST CAROLINA
Nikas collected two assists on the week including the game-winning assist to give the Pirates a 3-2 victory over Houston. She leads ECU with six assists on the season.

NIKKI HAWKINS - HOUSTON
Hawkins assisted in Houston's first goal and netted the second in the Cougars' 3-2 loss to East Carolina. She recorded three shots versus ECU on Sept. 28 and two against Saint Louis. Hawkins continues to lead the Cougars with 27 shots, including 12 on goal, nine points and has netted four of Houston's six goals this season.

SHERIKA HARDAWAY - HOUSTON
Hardaway is a Cougars' force on defense, blocking shots on-goal by the opposition and knocking away other threats from the goal. She has started all 11 games for Houston and has recorded three shots this season.

BETH MCGILL - MARQUETTE
McGill scored two key goals for Marquette during its three match week. She scored MU's second goal against UW-Milwaukee to create a 2-2 tie before the Golden Eagles eventually lost, 3-2. McGill also scored against Memphis in MU's 1-0 win. She had two of Marquette's three goals for the week.

LINDSAY SMALE – MARQUETTE
Smale anchored the Marquette defense that allowed just four goals in a three-match span. Smale, serving as the central defender in the Marquette system, was key to Marquette's shutout of Memphis. The Golden Eagles also played a strong defensive match against TCU, allowing just one goal on a set piece.

KIRSTY MARR – MEMPHIS
Marr added her third goal of the season in a 2-1 loss to DePaul. She has scored six of her seven career-goals in conference matches and all of them have given the Tigers the lead and four have been game-winners. Marr’s three goals rank her second on the team.

JAMIE PERRY - SAINT LOUIS
Perry picked up a pair of assists over the weekend to set a new career high for assists in a season with six. She also assisted on TARA GRESCO's game winner at Houston. Perry leads SLU with six assists and 12 points.

ANNY LUCIER – SAINT LOUIS
Lucier guided a Saint Louis defense that blanked Houston for its third-consecutive shutout in C-USA action. She scored the team's second goal at TCU with good work on the far post on a corner.

KATIE REED - USF
Reed recorded the game-winning goal in the Bulls 2-1 victory over Louisville and also had an assist in the Bulls 2-0 win over Cincinnati.

BRECK BANKSTER - USF
Bankester recorded her second shut-out of the season against Cincinnati, making three saves in the game. She also received the win against Louisville allowing just one goal in the Bulls victory.

TARA KIDWELL - UAB
Kidwell finished the weekend with four total points, as she notched two assists against Cincinnati on Friday and then added the Blazers’ lone goal on Sunday versus DePaul. She scored the 18th goal of her career (eighth on UAB’s all-time list) and registered her 15th and 16th collegiate assists (seventh on UAB’s all-time list) over the weekend.

PAM COONEY - UAB
Cooney held Cincinnati’s TASHA WAGNER to only two shot attempts on Friday in UAB’s 2-0 shutout victory. Wagner, who leads the Bearcats in every major offensive category, was stifled by Cooney as Cincinnati was held to eight shots and only two shots on goal. Cooney spent time marking the conference's leading scorer in DePaul’s Julianne Sitch on Sunday and kept her scoreless for 109:25.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Each week, an offensive and defensive player of the week was selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
S2 Meghan McCallion, So., F, ECU
Jessica Traver, Fr., F, TUL
S8 Carolyn Klopp, Sr., MF/F, MAR
Julianne Sitch, So., F, DPU
S15 Nikki Hawkins, Jr., MF, HOU
Lindsay Morris, Jr., F, TUL
S22 Julianne Sitch, So., MF/F, DPU
Jill Knottek, Sr., F, UAB
S29 Julianne Sitch, So., MF/F, DPU

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
S2 Leah Peterson, Fr., D, TUL
S8 Katie Bissen, Jr, GK, MAR
S15 Penny Perrott, Sr., D, ECU
S22 Kara Kornfeld, Jr., B, SLU
S29 Megan Morey, So., GK, TUL