BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — Goalie Valery Piachonkina (Jr., Castro Valley, Calif./Mission San Jose) made 42 saves and handed out eight assists during a 4-0 weekend for Division III No. 3-ranked Austin College at Penn State Behrend to garner the March 29 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Defensive Player of the Week award.
A four-time Defensive Player of the Week selection following previous recognition in 2019 (March 4) and 2020 (February 3, March 9), she played in 12 quarters during the weekend – splitting time during the Division III games – as the Kangaroos defeated the host Lions (17-4 W), Division II Gannon University (11-10 W) and Mercyhurst University (11-9 W) prior to turning back Grove City College (27-9 W).
She opened the weekend on Saturday, March 27, by stopping seven shots and handing out an assist against Penn State Behrend prior to notching 17 stops to upend Gannon. On Sunday, March 28, Piachonkina returned to the pool to make 11 saves with a pair of assists in taking down Mercyhurst prior to made seven saves with five helpers against Grove City.
March 29 Collegiate Water Polo Association Division III Player of the Week Honor Roll: Tia Kannel (Grove City College); Chloe Dodgen (Penn State Behrend); Cecelia Weiss (Washington & Jefferson College); Jordan Brough (Wittenberg University)
