Fend named WePlayed Sports SAC Defensive Player of the Week
Carson-Newman defender Annika Fend (Herxheim, Germany) has been named the WePlayed Sports South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday morning.
ROCK HILL, S.C. – Carson-Newman defender Annika Fend (Herxheim, Germany) has been named the WePlayed Sports South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday morning.
The honor for Fend is the first of her career and is a unique one as well. She joins Molly Bukiewicz (Beavercreek, Ohio) and Berna Kabakci (Zeddam, Netherlands) as players to earn a weekly honor this season.
Fend joins Kabakci as the second C-N player to win defensive player of the week this season. It's the first time since the league introduced the defensive player of the week award in 2017, that Carson-Newman has multiple players win that specific weekly honor in the same season. The senior defender is the first non-goalkeeper to earn that honor from the SAC this season and the first non-goalie to win that award for C-N as well.
The Herxheim, Germany native was instrumental to Carson-Newman winning both of its game this past week. Entering last week with two assists, she added three more to her ledger for the year.
Her first assist came on Carson-Newman's third goal against Mars Hill this past Wednesday. Felicia Frick (Eschen, Liechtenstein) set up Fend, who hooked a ball into the six-yard box where Selina Jud (Wilderswil, Switzerland) headed it home to increase the Eagles lead.
Fend's impact was felt even more in Saturday's one goal win at Newberry. She assisted on both goals in the victory and were very similar plays. Off a throw in, Fend delivered a pass into the box and Bukiewicz headed it off the left post and in to make it 1-0. After Newberry tied it, Fend connected with Jud for the second time this week to and put C-N ahead for good. This cross into the box came from 40 yards away, and Jud headed it home for the win.
Up to five assists now on the year, Fend is now tied for the most assists in the SAC this season. She is just one away from tying for the most nationally.
The defender played 175 of the 180 possible minutes this past week. She is tied for the team-high in minutes played and is one of just three players to start in every game this season.
Fend and the Eagles are back on the pitch tomorrow night when it welcomes Emory & Henry to McCown Field at 7:30 p.m. Coverage is available on the Eagle Sports Network with a subscription to FloSports.
