Cards Place Six on NFHCA All-West Region Teams
November 26, 2018 | Field Hockey
Louisville is one of six teams with six or more all-region selections
Six University of Louisville field hockey players earned 2018 Longstreth/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I All-West Region honors. Ayeisha McFerran, Mercedes Pastor and Taylor Stone were selected to the first team while Carter Ayars, Alli Bitting and Bethany Russ were named to the second team.
The Cardinals are one of six teams with six or more honorees. The six selections match a program record set in 2016.
This marks the fourth straight all-region honor for McFerran. The Larne, Northern Ireland native has started every game for the Cardinals and collected five shutouts, tied for the most among ACC goalkeepers. The senior co-captain carried a 1.24 goals against average standing second in the ACC and ninth in the nation. She earned NFHCA National Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 19 and was a three-time ACC Defensive player of the week this season. McFerran a three-time NFHCA all-American and all-ACC selection, also stands tied for second in the nation among active goalkeepers with 50 career victories and is ranked among the top three on Louisville's career lists for wins, shutouts and goals against average. She is a member of Ireland's national team which earned a silver medal in the 2018 World Cup.
Pastor earns her first all-region nod. The sophomore from Buenos Aires, Argentina started every game in her first season at Louisville. The all-ACC selection tallied five goals, including the game-winner in double overtime at No. 15 Syracuse and the deciding goal in overtime against California. Pastor has also dished out three assists to bring her point total to 13 this season.
Stone (Herndon, Va.) collects her second straight all-region honor. The midfielder/defender and team co-captain finished the season standing third on the team with five goals and tallied 10 points and earned her second consecutive all-ACC selection. She was also a valuable part of the Cardinals' defense which produced five shutouts. The 2017 NFHCA All-American has registered 16 career goals and notched 35 points. She is also a member of USA Field Hockey's National Development Squad.
Ayars, a junior from Wilmington, Del., picks up her second consecutive all-region selection. The defender and 2017 ACC all-tournament team member, started 17 games and anchored the Cardinals' defense which produced five shutouts and a 1.27 team goals-against average. She is currently a member of USA Field Hockey's Under 21 team.
Bitting (Hummelstown, Pa.) started every game for the Cardinals during her sophomore campaign. The defender/midfielder notched one goal – the equalizer in Louisville's 3-2 win at No. 15 Syracuse – and stood second on the team with seven assists. While playing in the backfield, Bitting helped the Cardinals to five shutouts. She also earned ACC all-tournament honors as a freshman.
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Russ, a forward/midfielder from Melbourne, Australia picks up her first all-region honor after leading the team with 11 goals and 24 points – both career highs. After being sidelined by injury last season, the redshirt sophomore returned to form with six of her 11 goals standing as game-winners, placing her second in the ACC in that category. Russ accounted for the game-winners against Boston College, Northwestern, Virginia, Michigan State, Miami and Kent State.
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About Louisville
The Cardinals finished the season with a 13-6 overall record and ranked No. 14 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll after earning the No. 3 seed in the 2018 ACC Championship.
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The Cardinals are one of six teams with six or more honorees. The six selections match a program record set in 2016.
This marks the fourth straight all-region honor for McFerran. The Larne, Northern Ireland native has started every game for the Cardinals and collected five shutouts, tied for the most among ACC goalkeepers. The senior co-captain carried a 1.24 goals against average standing second in the ACC and ninth in the nation. She earned NFHCA National Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 19 and was a three-time ACC Defensive player of the week this season. McFerran a three-time NFHCA all-American and all-ACC selection, also stands tied for second in the nation among active goalkeepers with 50 career victories and is ranked among the top three on Louisville's career lists for wins, shutouts and goals against average. She is a member of Ireland's national team which earned a silver medal in the 2018 World Cup.
Pastor earns her first all-region nod. The sophomore from Buenos Aires, Argentina started every game in her first season at Louisville. The all-ACC selection tallied five goals, including the game-winner in double overtime at No. 15 Syracuse and the deciding goal in overtime against California. Pastor has also dished out three assists to bring her point total to 13 this season.
Stone (Herndon, Va.) collects her second straight all-region honor. The midfielder/defender and team co-captain finished the season standing third on the team with five goals and tallied 10 points and earned her second consecutive all-ACC selection. She was also a valuable part of the Cardinals' defense which produced five shutouts. The 2017 NFHCA All-American has registered 16 career goals and notched 35 points. She is also a member of USA Field Hockey's National Development Squad.
Ayars, a junior from Wilmington, Del., picks up her second consecutive all-region selection. The defender and 2017 ACC all-tournament team member, started 17 games and anchored the Cardinals' defense which produced five shutouts and a 1.27 team goals-against average. She is currently a member of USA Field Hockey's Under 21 team.
Bitting (Hummelstown, Pa.) started every game for the Cardinals during her sophomore campaign. The defender/midfielder notched one goal – the equalizer in Louisville's 3-2 win at No. 15 Syracuse – and stood second on the team with seven assists. While playing in the backfield, Bitting helped the Cardinals to five shutouts. She also earned ACC all-tournament honors as a freshman.
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Russ, a forward/midfielder from Melbourne, Australia picks up her first all-region honor after leading the team with 11 goals and 24 points – both career highs. After being sidelined by injury last season, the redshirt sophomore returned to form with six of her 11 goals standing as game-winners, placing her second in the ACC in that category. Russ accounted for the game-winners against Boston College, Northwestern, Virginia, Michigan State, Miami and Kent State.
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About Louisville
The Cardinals finished the season with a 13-6 overall record and ranked No. 14 in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll after earning the No. 3 seed in the 2018 ACC Championship.
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Players Mentioned
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