AUGUSTA, Ga. – For the first time in her career, freshman defender Manoly Baquerizo (Guayaquil, Ecudaor) has been named Peach Belt Conference Women's Soccer Defender of the Week as announced by the league on Monday, October 3.
 
Baquerizo was outstanding offensively and defensively in leading the Lakers to a win and a tie in a pair of games this past week. In addition to playing all 200 minutes she also recorded two goals and two assists.
 
Facing Montevallo (9/28) to start the week, she was instrumental in preserving a tie as she anchored the defense and added some pop on the offensive side of the field. In that game she played all 110 minutes and scored the first goal of the game at 8:48 before assisting on the second less than 13 minutes later.
 
After a pair of scores in the second half (the tying goal coming on a penalty kick at 81:12), she would help lock down UM's offense by allowing just two shots in the final 20 minutes, including none in the first overtime.
 
Baquerizo would be just as impressive in the final game of the week as Clayton State hosted Francis Marion (10/1). In that game she would play all 90 minutes in helping to secure a 4-0 victory for the team's first shutout of the season.
 
She would also prove the old adage that the best defense is a good offense. The newcomer assisted on the first goal of the game at 7:17 before following with one of her own less than three minutes later while limiting the Patriots to just two shots in what would be an incredible 33-2 margin.
 
On the year her 12 points are tied for fourth in the Peach Belt Conference while her four assists and four goals rank in ties for the third and sixth most, respectively. For goals, she is just two off the pace for the league leaders while issuing outstanding defense for a team that has a 1.16 goals against average and is 6-2-1 on the year overall and 3-1-1 in PBC play.
 
It is the first such honor of her career and she becomes the eighth different player to win the award, joining teammate Alexis Gipson (Crandall, Texas) who won the award on September 19 of this season.
 
Prior to that recognition, the last was Emily Walling in back-to-back weeks in 2014 (Sept. 22, Sept. 29). Walling is also the only multi-time winner in program history since the PBC separated weekly awards into three categories in 2007.
 
Overall the program has claimed a total of 38 weekly honorees from Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week and Goalkeeper of the Week. In 2007, the Peach Belt went from recognizing just one individual to honoring two per week and three weekly starting in 2008.
 
The Peach Belt Conference Weekly Awards are nominated and voted upon by the league's member Sports Information Directors.
 
Baquerizo and Clayton State return to action on Wednesday, October 5 when they travel to rival No. 13 Columbus State (7-2, 3-1 PBC) in a battle of league heavy weights. Game time is set for 6 p.m. Columbus, Georgia.
 
All-Time Peach Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week Selections (10/8 Individuals)
 
2016
10/3 – Manoly Baquerizo
9/19 – Alexis Gipson
 
2014
9/22 – Emily Walling
9/29 – Emily Walling
10/6 – Lara Moehlmann
 
2013
9/30 – Saidhbh Collins
10/14 – Nina Boganes
10/21 – Emily Walling
 
2011
11/1 – Silvia Espelt
 
2007
10/9 – Whitney Jowers