Brief: Holden, Pineda headline all-conference soccer selections
Alex Lessard | Staff Writer
After winning its second straight C-USA regular season title, the Mean Green soccer team had six different players voted by the coaches as All-Conference selections. Three were named to the First Team: junior forward Rachel Holden, senior midfielder Karla Pineda and senior goalkeeper Jackie Kerestine.
Holden was named Co-Offensive Player of the Year, finishing third in C-USA with 11 goals on the season, including six in conference play and a string of scores in four consecutive games. This marks the second time Holden received the honors, bouncing back from a four-goal campaign last season.
Pineda also topped the awards list as the C-USA Midfielder of the Year. It is the first time she received the award and third time she has been named First-Team in conference. Pineda finished the year tied for sixth in C-USA with seven goals and tied for third with seven assists. She now sits in a tie for second in North Texas history with 31 career assists.
Rachel Holden kicks the ball to her Mean Green teammates during a game against the University of Kansas. Meagan Sullivan | Associate Visuals Editor
Although she wasn’t named C-USA Defensive Player of the Year, Kerestine and the Mean Green defense only allowed nine goals all season, four less than the second ranked C-USA squad. Kerestine led the conference in three goalkeeping categories, including a .650 shutout percentage, good for eighth in the nation. Senior defenders Molly Grisham and Tess Graham were each named to the C-USA third team, starting in the back line for all 20 games this season.
Freshman forward Taylor Torres was named to the All-Freshman Team after making nine starts for North Texas, dishing out four assists and scoring three goals.
The Mean Green will look to back up its accolades in the C-USA tournament this week as the No. 1 seed. Its first-round matchup comes against Western Kentucky University at 11 a.m. on Wednesday in Miami, Florida.
Featured Image: File Photo
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