Evergreen Athlete of the Week: Morgan Weaver

Junior pushed Cougs past Huskies with a hat trick to take Apple Cup

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OLIVER MCKENNA | DAILY EVERGREEN FILE

Junior forward Morgan Weaver weaves her way past University of Washington junior goalkeeper Siena Ruelas as she drives toward the goal Friday night at the Lower Soccer Field.

SHAWN P. O'CONNOR, Evergreen reporter

Junior forward Morgan Weaver had a spectacular week for WSU, earning her the Evergreen’s Athlete of the Week.

Weaver had her biggest game of the season Friday scoring a hat trick against cross-state rival University of Washington as the Cougars cruised to a 3-1 win in the Apple Cup.

She leads the team in goals with 12 and has four assists. She is an aggressive player on offense, leading the team and taking more than twice as many shots as her teammates.

Weaver has had three games with two or more goals and three game-winning goals this season, leading the team in both. She is a clear leader on this WSU side and will be key going forward for the Cougars as they play University of Montana on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

In a highly anticipated match against No. 1 ranked and defending NCAA champion Stanford University on Oct. 28, Weaver took a misplayed ball from the Cardinal goalkeeper and tied the game to steal a crucial point in Pac-12 play.

Weaver, a native of Renton, Washington, started her collegiate career quickly. She was voted to the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team as part of an impressive offensive production. She also scored a hat trick in her freshman season while leading the team with eight goals and 17 points. Her freshman shot totals were fifth-most in the country.

Weaver’s sophomore season was equally impressive as her freshman. Her season was filled with accomplishments, including Third Team USC All-West regional honors, Third Team All-Pac-12 Honors and an invite to the U-23 USA National Camp. She led her team in goals for a second consecutive season, scoring six goals with two assists. She continued to impress, leading her team’s offense to a successful 10-8-4 season.

Weaver will continue to be relied on heavily as the team heads into the NCAA Tournament.