Women's soccer team hands out awards at end of year banquet

Women's soccer team hands out awards at end of year banquet

Irvine Valley's women's soccer team had its end of the season banquet earlier this week and several players were honored with awards.

Irvine Valley finished with a record of 7-8-6 overall and was 5-7-5 in conference. The Lasers took fifth place in the OEC.

Sophomore keeper Yesenia Pulido was named the team's most valuable player. The vote for the award was done by the players.

Pulido was named first team all-conference this year.

She helped Irvine Valley shut out four teams this season.

Pulido was second in the conference with 85 saves.

She ended with a 1.72 goals against average.

Her shutouts came against Golden West, Norco (twice) and Saddleback.

Pulido recorded at least five saves in eight different matches.

The offensive player of the year for the Lasers was sophomore forward Alexandra Benedict.

Benedict led Irvine Valley with 14 goals. She ended up fourth in the conference in goals and fifth in points with 30.

Benedict had a four-goal game at San Diego City on Sept. 2 in a 6-1 Irvine Valley victory and scored two goals at MiraCosta on Sept. 6 in a 3-2 Laser win.

She also finished with three game-winning goals.

The defensive player of the year was freshman defender Yvette Belman.

Belman played in all 21 of the team's matches and started 20 of them.

She was part of a defense that recorded four shutouts and kept 10 opponents to one goal or less in contests.

Belman also added one goal and one assist, scoring in a 3-1 Irvine Valley win over Fullerton on Sept. 20.

And head coach Joe Supe gave the coaches' award to freshman defender Ashley Ruiz, who became an important player for the Lasers as the season moved on.

She ended up playing the final 16 matches for IVC and started the last 14.

Ruiz contributed one assist in Irvine Valley's 3-0 win over Saddleback at home on Oct. 14.