Cal Center Back Earns First Weekly Honor
Sophomore defender Malia McMahon of the No. 13 California women’s soccer team was named ACC Co-Defensive Player of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday.
McMahon, who shared the honor with Duke goalkeeper Leah Freeman, went the distance in the Golden Bears’ two ACC wins over No. 16 Pitt and Miami this past week.
On Thursday, McMahon and the Cal backline picked up their first ACC shutout, blanking the Panthers 1-0 despite them entering the week with a 2.9 goals per game average. Pitt only managed to put five shots on frame and the Bears earned their third clean sheet of the season.
Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Hurricanes saw the visitors tie the match at 2-2 in the 69th minute, but they would only manage one more shot attempt the rest of the match. In the 78th minute the Bears earned a corner kick and sent graduate-transfer Julia Leontini over to serve it up. Leontini played a ball deep to the back post for McMahon, who leaped and scored a header to give her team the 3-2 lead. It was her first collegiate goal, and it stood as the game-winner.
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