Bruehwiler Named CCC Rookie of the Year, Four Other Golden Bears Earn All-CCC Honors
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (October 26, 2018) – Five members of the Western New England University women's soccer team have received All-Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) accolades, the league office announced on Friday afternoon.
Freshman forward Allison Bruehwiler (Old Saybrook, Conn.) highlighted Western New England's five selections, as she was named the CCC Rookie of the Year.
Senior defender Erin Grimes (Attleboro, Mass.) was named to the All-CCC first team, while Bruehwiler and freshman forward Autumn Hathaway (Colchester, Vt.) earned All-CCC second team recognition. Earning spots on the All-CCC third team were junior defender Kaeli Serafino (Ludlow, Mass.) and junior goalkeeper Alex Lemekha (Stamford, Conn.).
Grimes, a two-year captain, started all 18 matches this season and anchored Western New England's defensive unit. She collects first team recognition after earning All-CCC second team accolades as a junior last season.
Bruehwiler and Hathaway made significant contributions during their first season with the Golden Bears on their way to All-CCC second team honors.
Bruehwiler appeared in all 18 games, making 12 starts, and ranked second on the team with 13 points (T-10th in CCC) on five goals and three assists. She scored a pair of second half goals in Western New England's 3-2 comeback win over Gordon on October 6, and also found the back of the net last Saturday as the Golden Bears earned a 1-1 draw with UNE. Bruehwiler, who posted another two-goal effort in a 2-1 non-conference win at Mount Holyoke on September 11, earned two CCC Rookie of the Week honors this fall.
Hathaway also appeared in all 18 games, making 15 starts. Her eight points (three goals, two assists) were good for fourth on the team. Hathaway's career got off to an impressive start, as the tallied the game-winning goal in double-overtime against Keene State in Western New England's season-opener on September 1.She also scored in back-to-back wins at Westfield State (10/11) and against Curry (10/13).
Serafino earns All-CCC honors for the first time in her career with her selection to the third team. She started 15 of 18 regular season games and scored Western New England's lone goal in the Golden Bears' 1-1 draw against Endicott on September 15.
Rounding out Western New England's five All-CCC selections is Lemekha, who lands on the third team following an injury-shortened campaign. Lemekha missed the first nine games of the season, but has gone 3-1-1 with a 1.27 goals against average and an .820 save percentage since returning to the lineup. She posted an eight-save shutout in the Golden Bears' 5-0 win over Curry on October 13, and also turned in 5+ save efforts in each of her five other CCC appearances.
Fourth-seeded Western New England (8-7-3, 4-1-3 CCC) will open the CCC Tournament at Suprenant Field on Sunday at 11 a.m. against fifth-seeded Roger Williams University (7-10-1, 4-3-1 CCC).
