(San Francisco, CA) Sun Devil Soccer’s Pauline Nelles earned Pac-12 women’s soccer goalkeeper of the week honor, the Pac-12 announced on Monday. It is the first weekly honor of Nelles’ career.
The sophomore had a combined nine saves against Wright State and Mississippi State, earning back-to-back Sun Devil shutouts. She was one save shy of tying her single-game save mark with eight against Mississippi State (10/14/23 – 9 vs Utah).
“I’m really proud of Pauli and her efforts this weekend,” head coach Graham Winkworthsaid. “She is a wonderful shot stopper, so two clean sheets is an excellent way for her or any goalkeeper to begin the season.”
With two shutouts under her belt, she is one clean sheet away from tying her career high in shutouts. The German finished opening weekend as the only keeper with two shutouts alongside the third most saves in the conference.
She is the first Sun Devil goalkeeper to receive the honors since Birta Gudlaugsdottir in Week 2 of 2021 when the Sun Devils played at Mississippi State and UAB.
Photo – Hailey Leonard/Sun Devil Athletics
As a freshman, Nelles earned All-Pac-12 third-team honors and was named to the league’s All-Freshman team in 2022.
After missing the 2022 season opener due to her participation with the German National Team at the U20 World Cup in Costa Rica, Nelles went on to start ASU’s next 17 games where she played 1475 out of a possible 1530 minutes. She sported a .735 save percentage, putting herself in the top-50 of the NCAA statistics.
The Sun Devils commence their first road trip in Las Cruces against New Mexico State on Thursday, August 24 at 6:00 p.m. MST before venturing to El Paso on Sunday, August 27 with a noon MST kickoff against UTEP.
Press Release courtesy of Sun Devil Athletic – Liesl Babicka
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