Rachel Preston has been named the TicketSmarter Summit League Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. Preston totaled a team-high 90 minutes at centre-back while leading the Jackrabbits' back line in a 2-0 win against Northern Illinois Friday.
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SDSU tied a program record while posting its fifth shutout of the season by holding the Huskies to just one shot during the contest. The feat had previously been accomplished by a Jackrabbit squad only three times in program history, the last time also happening against Northern Illinois in 2019, the teams' last meeting.
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"I'm really proud of Rachel," head coach
Brock Thompson said. "She is a great defender and an important leader on this team. Any time you can hold a team to just one shot, it's something to be proud of… our defensive presence was great on Friday. This recognition is well-deserved, and I think she'd be the first to say that it reflects an entire team effort."
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This marks Preston's second-career Summit League weekly honor.
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South Dakota State returns to action Monday night at Air Force. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. (CT).
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2021 Jackrabbit Player of the Week Honorees
Week 1 –
Maya Hansen
Week 5 –
Rachel Preston
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-GoJacks.com-
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