SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – The Lyon of the Week honor for the period ending October 30th has been announced and junior field hockey student-athlete Sophie Perekslis has been recognized. A midfielder, Perekslis recorded two goals and two assists to help lead the Lyons to a 2-0 mark and the program's 18th straight berth in the NEWMAC Tournament.
A native of Millerton, N.Y., Perekslis led the Lyons in scoring last week. In a 3-2 victory at Westfield State, she tallied the go-ahead goal early in the second half to give MHC a 2-1 lead. She also assisted on both the first and game-winning goals of the contest. Perekslis went on to tally the Lyons second goal in a 4-0 shutout at conference-rival Wheaton.
Perekslis, who is a former standout at the Berkshire School, currently ranks second on the team in nearly every offensive category. A starter in 16 of the 17 games she has played in, Perekslis has six goals and seven assists for 19 points. She has amassed 45 shots, including 32 on goal. She is also third on the team in game-winning goals with two.
As a sophomore, Perekslis started all 22 games for the Lyons. She recorded 15 goals and three assists for 33 points, ranking second overall in points. She also posted 59 shots, including 28 on goal and had two game-winning tallies. Highlighing her season was a game-winning goal in the MHC's regular season 1-0 win over nationally-ranked Babson in mid-October.
During her rookie season, Perekslis played in all 21 games, including 16 as a starter. She recorded a team-best 14 goals, ranking third overall in points with 28. In addition to 54 shots (33 on goal), she was second on the squad in game-winning goals with four. Perekslis finished the season ranked four in the NEWMAC in goals.
Perekslis has also shined in the classroom during her career, named to the NEWMAC Academic-All-Conference team twice, while also earning NFHCA National Academic Squad distinction three times. She was also named an NFHCA Scholar of Distinction as a rookie, honored for those who achieve a 3.90 cumulative GPA or higher.
Mount Holyoke (11-6; 5-3 NEWMAC) returns to action on Tuesday afternoon when it travels to Wellesley for the NEWMAC Tournament Quarterfinals. The game, which begins at 3pm, pits the fifth-seeded Lyons against the fourth-seeded Blue for the fifth straight season. In each of the last three meetings, the two teams have met in the tournament championship game, which the Lyons won in 2015.
Perekslis is excited for today's tournament match-up, stating "We are right where we want to be. The team is very confident, having won it all from this exact same position a year ago."
Fans who are unable to make it to today's game can follow along via live stats and live video at http://athletics.mtholyoke.edu/sports/fh/2016-17/schedule.
GO LYONS FIELD HOCKEY!!!!!
