Four Westmont soccer players have been named to the 2013 NAIA Women?s Soccer All-America teams.
Senior goalkeeper Lindsey Smith of Pleasanton and senior midfielder Alison Hensley of Huntington Beach were named to the first team. Senior defender Amanda Diesen of Irvine was a second team selection. Junior midfielder Tiffany Dimaculangan of Glendora was honored as a member of the third team.
Westmont’s Lindsey Smith earned first-team NAIA All-American honors.
Smith allowed just 13 goals in 24 games resulting in a 0.56 goals against average – second best in the NAIA this year. She also came up big in both of Westmont’s NAIA Championship games which were decided by a shootout. In the first round against Westminster (Utah), she blocked two of three attempts by the Griffins to advance the Warriors to the second round.
In the semifinals, Smith blocked two of eight penalty kick attempts by No. 3 Northwood (Fla.) as the Warriors won the shootout 7-6 to give Westmont a berth in the championship game.
“Lindsey has grown into an incredible goalkeeper and I believe one of the best in the nation,” said Westmont head coach Kristi Kiely. “This award represents all of the hard work she’s put in over the past four years. She will certainly go down in Westmont Women’s Soccer as one of the best to come through the program.”
Hensley received All-American honors for the second time in her career. In 2011, Hensley was named to the third team as a defender. This season, Hensley played as a central defending midfielder, which Kiely regards as her more natural position.
Westmont’s Alison Hensley is a first-team NAIA All-American
“Alison is a tremendous leader – the kind everyone wants to follow,” said Kiely. “She is also an incredible player and played some of her best soccer this year as a midfielder. She made it easier on our back line as she was very difficult to get through. She will outwork anybody on the field at any time and is always putting the team first. She is a tremendous athlete and wonderful human being.”
In addition to Hensley’s defensive efforts, the three-time Capital One Academic All-American? recorded five goals – four of which were game winners – and two assists this season.
Playing at outside back, Diesen was instrumental in the Warriors’ defense that allowed opponents just 13 goals.
“Amanda finished her career playing some of her best soccer – fueled by an incredible work rate that was inspired by our time in Africa,” said Kiely. “Anytime we were facing a dangerous attacking player this year we put Amanda on her and she shut her down. She is a tremendous one-on-one defender but she is also a fantastic attacking player. We are very proud of the work she put in, which is why she’s receiving this honor.”
Like Hensley, Diesen also made offensive contributions, tallying two goals and three assists.
Dimaculangan proved to be an unsolvable riddle for the Warriors’ opponents this season as she weaved through the defense. Her five goals included two game winners, to which she added two assists.
“Tiffany is one of our best soccer players,” noted Kiely. “She has great vision, a great understanding of the game and is able to execute – this award affirms that. Tiffany was out for moments this season due to injury and is still receiving this honor – this speaks to her brilliance as a player. The most exciting thing for us is that there is still more to develop and more to be seen.”
Westmont (17-2-5) finished the season as the NAIA National Runner-up, falling in the championship game to Concordia (Ore.) by a score of 1-0.
