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MVNU Soccer Players Sweep NCCAA Weekly Honors
written by Dave Parsons, Sports Information Director

MOUNT VERNON, Ohio - Catherine Hess and Josh Van Pelt, members of the Mount Vernon Nazarene University women’s and men’s soccer teams respectively, swept the National Christian College Athletic Association Player of the Week honors for the week of August 23-29.


Catherine Hess	Josh Van Pelt

Hess, a senior forward from Hillsboro, Ohio, scored four goals during the Lady Cougars’ 1-1-0 week to start the season. In a 3-2 victory at Trinity International (Ill.) University on August 27, Hess recorded her second career hat trick as she scored all three goals in the rematch of the two teams who played for the NCCAA national title in 2003. Then, in MVNU’s 3-2 loss to Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) University on August 28, she scored a goal and hit the crossbar with the potential tying shot in the final two minutes of action.

On the season, Hess leads the Lady Cougars with five goals to go with two assists. She needs just two more points to become the program’s all-time leader in that category. MVNU, which is 2-2-0 overall, will return to action on Friday when the team hosts the Cougar Classic Invitational with a match against Wilmington College at 4:00 p.m.

Van Pelt, a sophomore forward from Maryville, Tennessee, scored four goals for the Cougars during their 2-0-0 week to open the season. In the season opener at Asbury (Ky.) College on August 27, Van Pelt registered his first career hat trick with three goals in MVNU’s 6-0 win. Then, at Bryan (Tenn.) College, he added another goal as the Cougars prevailed 3-1 on August 28.

Van Pelt leads MVNU with six goals and is second on the team with four assists. He has already surpassed his entire total for the whole season last year in both categories. The Cougars, who are 4-1-0, will return to action on Wednesday when the team will host Ashland University in a non-conference match at 4:00 p.m.