(Posted October 11, 2004)

Huntingdon, PA - Juniata College senior goalkeeper Melonie Sappe' (Dallas/Shavertown) has been named the Commonwealth Conference goalkeeper/defensive field hockey player of the week for the third consecutive week. This is the fourth time that Sappe' has received this honor since the beginning of the season.

Sappe' helped Juniata to three victories this past week, two coming against conference foes Elizabethtown and Moravian, and one against non-conference opponent Washington and Lee. She had three saves apiece in the conference wins over Elizabethtown and Moravian, while adding two against Washington and Lee. She recorded her fourth shutout of the season as Juniata blanked Elizabethtown 1-0, then added her fifth shutout in the Eagles' 2-0 win against Washington and Lee. The one goal she allowed on the week came win one minute left in the match against conference for Moravian. Prior to the goal Sappe' had gone an outstanding 354 consecutive minutes of play without allowing a goal, a span that covered more than four full matches.

Sappe' has recorded 58 saves this season and has posted an impressive .935 save percentage through the team's first eleven games. In the 815 minutes of play this season, Sappe' has only allowed four goals. Her shutouts this week lowered her goals against average to 0.34, which ranks her first in the Commonwealth Conference. Three of her five shutouts this season have come against conference opponents. With seven regular-season matches remaining, Sappe' is two shutouts away from matching her own school record for shutouts in a season.

With Sappe' anchoring the defense the Eagles are off to the best start in the program's history. Juniata's 10-1 record is the best the field hockey team has been through eleven games and the Eagles have moved up to 9th in the most recent STX/NFHCAA Division III poll. Juniata is 10-1 overall and 5-1 in the conference through eleven games and have clinched their second-consecutive berth in the conference postseason. The Eagles look to add another win to their record as they head to Frostburg State on Tuesday for some non-conference action.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.