IRVING, Texas – East Carolina University’s Abby Sowa has been named the American Athletic Conference’s Defensive Player of the Week and Lucy Fazackerley has been named Rookie of the Week, the league announced Monday.
 
The honors for Sowa and Fazackerley come after the defensive duo scored both goals in the Pirates’ 2-0 win at South Florida on Thursday. The victory was the team’s first ever against the Bulls in Tampa and put the Pirates atop the American East Division standings three games into league play.
 
Sowa’s Defensive Player of the Week nod was the third of her career and first of the season. The junior was tremendous on Thursday as she helped East Carolina to the team’s seventh clean sheet of the season while keying the Pirates’ in allowing just three shots on goal. In addition to her efforts defensively, Sowa got in on the scoring as she powered home a penalty kick in the 77th minute to give the Pirates a little breathing room en route to victory.
 
The story was much the same for Fazackerley as she earns her second Rookie of the Week recognition on the season for her excellent work from the left back position. Fazackerley was crucial in the Pirates’ clean sheet effort and did damage once again getting forward offensively. The Wigan, England native scored her second goal of the season and the game-winning goal in the 41st minute of the South Florida victory off of Catherine Holbrook’s assist.
 
Combined along with Jazmin Ferguson, the ECU defense has now scored six of the team’s 16 goals on the season (Sowa – 1, Fazackerley – 2, Ferguson – 3), proving that they do much more than keeping their opponents off the board.
 
Sowa, Fazackerley and the Pirates finally return home after a long road swing as they host Temple on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game is free to attend and there will be a t-shirt giveaway for the first 150 fans for the team’s Pink Game.