Women’s Soccer: UCI’s Farzaneh stands out

UC Irvine senior Zoya Farzaneh was named Big West Conference Defensive Player of the Year to top seven Anteaters named all-conference in women’s soccer.

Farzaneh, who spent most of her time on defense for a team that allowed 21 goals and a conference-low 68 shots on goal in 17 regular-season games, also scored three goals (two game-winners) with three assists.

UCI (11-6, 6-2 in conference), the No. 2 seed in the Big West Conference Tournament that begins with a semifinal clash against UC Riverside on Thursday at 5 p.m. at Cal State Fullerton, was also represented on the first team by three-time honoree Natalia Ledezma and Laura McGrail.

Jenna Pellegrino, Mady Solow and Jordan Bruce represent UCI on the second team, while Sammie James was named to the All-Freshman team.

Ledezma, a senior in her third season at UCI after transferring from UCLA, has six goals and one assist, second on the team to McGrail, a junior forward who has seven goals and three assists. Five of Ledezma’s goals this season have been game-winners. McGrail, who also led the ‘Eaters in scoring as a sophomore, has two game-winners.

Pellegrino has three goals and three assists as a junior midfielder, while Solow, a senior midfielder, had one goal and two assists.

Bruce, a senior center defender, produced three assists and one goal, the lone goal of her career, for Coach Scott Juniper’s Big West runners-up.

James has one goal in 13 appearances, all off the bench, while junior Cami Privett (two goals and two assists in 14 starts) received honorable mention.

UCI has produced the conference’s top defensive player three of the past four seasons. Former All-American CoCo Goodson earned the honor in 2010 and 2011.

Elise Krieghoff of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo was named Offensive Player of the Year, while Lindsey Maricic of Cal State Fullerton was the Goalkeeper of the Year.

Midfielder of the Year went to Erica Mazeau of Cal State Fullerton while Nat Gonzalez of UC Riverside was named Coach of the Year.

Mimi Rangel of Long Beach State was the Freshman of the Year.

— From staff reports