Hat trick lands Duncan SAC Player of the Week laurel
ROCK HILL, S.C. – For the first time in her Eagles career, freshman Sydnee Duncan (Athens, Tenn.) has been named the South Atlantic Conference offensive player of the week.
ROCK HILL, S.C. – For the first time in her Eagles career, freshman Sydnee Duncan (Athens, Tenn.) has been named the South Atlantic Conference women's soccer Offensive Player of the Week, as announced by the league Tuesday morning.
"To receive this is so special to me because it is not something I ever really though was going to happen especially as a freshman. With all the talent that is around me not only on my team, but also in the conference, blessed is an understatement," Duncan said. "I am really surrounded with great players and it's not even just one particular player, but people all over the field that are extremely talented whether they are starting or coming off the bench."
The last C-N player to be honored overall was sophomore goalkeeper Lilly Ebner (Hohentengen, Germany) who was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week for the week of September 21 after shutting out both Mars Hill and Wingate to start 2021 conference play. This is the first Offensive Player of the Week honors for C-N since graduate student Emilee Futrell (Wilson, N.C.) achieved her first ever such laurel during the shortened spring season.
This is the first conference player of the week laurel for Duncan's career. The freshman midfielder was able to capture the honors as she is coming off a historic performance for C-N against the Coker Cobras last Saturday, netting a hat trick and marking herself down in CNWS record books for the time being. Duncan got the scoring started early as she broke through the Cobras defense in the 18th minute thanks to assists from senior Kristina Markfort (Munster, Germany) and sophomore Carina Wüst (Hausen im Wiesental, Germany).
The Athens, Tenn. native was not finished there as only five minutes later, in the 23rd minute, she ripped a bomber from 25 yards out of the box and made it 2-0 Eagles off a Jente Kuper (Ottersberg, Germany) assist. Duncan finished off her Saturday scoring as she capped the first Eagle hat trick since 2018 with a beautiful lob from inside the six-yard box over the Cobras defense in the 54th minute.
"We have just a deep squad which has helped us tremendously this year," Duncan said.
This marked the first time an Eagles player has scored a hat trick in a match since Magda Mosengo did so in October 2018 against the Cobras as well. With her three-goal effort on Saturday, Duncan became the first Eagle athlete to collect six points in a match since Holly Talbut-Smith did so against the Cobras in September 2018.
This is also the first time an Eagle freshman has been named South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Week since the week of October 23, 2007. In that season, then-freshman midfielder Morgan Gruenenfelder was recognized after scoring three goals to give Carson-Newman two crucial region wins as the 2007 regular season winds to a close.
"It is such a great honor, but the season is not over yet, and we still have two big games coming up that we have to perform in," Duncan said. "These games will determine a lot for us so we just have to keep working hard and playing the best we can."
So far in 2021 play, Duncan has netted a team-leading eight goals (sixth-most in SAC), compiled a team-leading 16 points (seventh-most in SAC), and has been responsible for four game-winners (tied for second-most in SAC) including a conference leading three game winners against SAC opponents. The freshman has 29 shot attempts, as 16 have fallen on frame.
Duncan and the rest of the Eagles are back at home for the final time this season on Saturday for a pivotal SAC matchup with Limestone at 5:30 p.m. This will be the first time these two programs face off as conference opponents since Limestone joined the SAC prior to the shortened spring season.
With a win, the Eagles will lock down a top-four finish in the SAC and secure a first-round SAC tournament match at McCown Field when the SAC tournament begins on November 6. Coming down the stretch, the Eagles and Saints are in a back-and-forth battle for fourth place in the SAC standings.
Fans who cannot make it to the banks of Mossy Creek can enjoy a live broadcast courtesy of the Eagle Sports Network by visiting cneagles.com/live.
2021 SAC AstroTurf Women's Soccer Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Sept. 7 – Hannah Dunn, Catawba
Sept. 14 – Rachel Taylor, Lincoln Memorial
Sept. 21 – Sydney Jimmo, Catawba
Sept. 28 – Hannah Dunn, Catawba
Oct. 5 – Ria Acton, Lenoir-Rhyne
Oct. 12 – McKenna DeLong, Wingate
Oct. 19 – Leonie Proessl, Lenoir-Rhyne
Oct. 26 – Sydnee Duncan, Carson-Newman
Defensive Player of the Week
Sept. 7 – Camryn Miller, Mars Hill
Sept. 14 – Grayson Cameron, Lenoir-Rhyne
Sept. 21 – Lilly Ebner, Carson-Newman
Sept. 28 – Katie Beck, Catawba
Oct. 5 – Erica Turner, Queens
Oct. 12 – Sierra Davis, Catawba
Oct. 19 – Katrine Thisgaard, Wingate
Oct. 26 – Erica Turner, Queens
