College Corner: Freedom Grad Perrett Earns Rookie of the Week Honors, Makes USA South Honorable Mention All Conference

Sarah Perrett
(photo courtesy CNU)

(Nov. 3, 2011) - Freedom High School grad Sarah Perrett earned USA South Women's Soccer Rookie of the Week honors in mid-October and then this week the Christopher Newport University freshman midfield/forward was named Honorable Mention All-Conference.

On Oct. 17, Perrett earned USA South Women's Soccer Rookie of the Week honors, after scoring a goal in two games of action last week. Perrett helped CNU go 1-0-1 in USA South action.

Against Methodist, Perrett connected in the 16th minute of the game with a hard strike from the left side to give CNU a 1-0 advantage. Perrett dribbled past two defenders and the Captains up 1-0 for her second career goal. She took three shots in the game, putting two on-goal. Then, against league-leading Greensboro on Sunday, Perrett took one shot and helped the Captains to a 1-1 draw.

The freshman has seen significant minutes in both the midfield and at forward for head coach Ruth Keegan, scoring two goals and adding an assist for five points scored. She had played in 16 games with 11 starts in her rookie campaign. including a start in a 4-1 conference tournament playoff win over N.C. Wesleyan. CNU faces Greensboro Friday at noon in the semifinals in Martinsville. Perrett has three goals and one assist on 15 shots this season with seven on goal.


Perrett's honor was part of a record 10 CNU players on this year's USA South All-Conference teams. Head coach Ruth Keegan collected her third Conference Coach of the Year nod in just her fourth season at CNU.

Keegan guided the Captains to a 10-7-1 overall mark so far, including an impressive run through conference, going 7-1-1. The head coach helped CNU win its seventh regular season title in the last ten years, doing so with a 2-1 win over then-first place Shenandoah in the final regular season game of the year.

The record 10 selections to this year's All-Conference squads was led by three players on the All-USA South Second Team. Senior Kendall Dishaw tied for the team-lead in points with 17, scoring eight goals and adding one assist. She was joined on the Second Team by senior defender Shelby Walters and junior midfielder Dani Gunderson. Walters scored three goals and added an assist while locking down one of the outside back positions all year. Gunderson suffered an injury that knocked her out of two conference games, yet still managed to finish third in conference scoring for CNU, with a pair of goals and three assists in seven games played.

Five Captains were named to the Third Team, including the team's other leading scorer, Emma O'Reilly, with 17 points on eight goals and an assist. Junior goalkeeper Meghan Gumbs, defender Julie Jennings and a pair of midfielders, Annemarie Weaver and freshman Joy Piirto also netted Third Team honors.

Rounding out the selections for CNU was senior Megan Richard as an Honorable Mention selection on defense and rookie forward Perrett.

Elise Haug was named the All-Sportsmanship team selection for the Captains.

Also on the CNU roster is senior defender Megan Richard of Park View High School in Sterling.