Jefferson Hagen
MacEwan Athletics
EDMONTON – After moving into the conference scoring lead with a weekend performance to remember, Griffins midfielder Hannah Harper has been named Canada West women's soccer player of the week.
Harper matched a program record with a four-point outing in MacEwan's 5-0 win over Regina on Saturday.
It's the sixth time a Griffin has netted four points in a Canada West women's soccer match.
"You could just tell early on in the game that she was clicking on all cylinders and really making things happen for us," said Griffins head coach Dean Cordeiro of Harper, who scored three times and added an assist in the contest. "When that free kick left her foot to open up the scoring, you knew it was going to be a special day, and certainly it was."
It's also now the sixth time a Griffin has been named Canada West women's soccer player of the week since the recognition started in 2021, following four by Grace Mwasalla and one by Samantha Gouveia.
Technically, the program has had more as Emily Burns (2017) and Salma Kamel (2019) won Canada West First Star of the Week honours, back when conference recognition was given to the top three female athletes across all sports each week.
Five other times were Griffins women's soccer players named Second Star (Kayla Evans, Meagan Lemoine – twice – Jenny Lam and Suekiana Choucair), while four earned third star honours (Lam, Burns and Choucair – twice).
The recognition is a first for Harper, who has moved into the Canada West scoring lead with 11 points in eight games.
"What I love about Hannah is (her production) is balanced with six goals and five assists," said Cordeiro. "You typically have it one way or another – someone with a lot of goals or someone with a lot of assists. But to have someone who's really elevating their game in both those areas, it's cool to see."
�� Hannah Harper scored twice in the first half - including on this free kick - as the @MacEwanGriffins lead @ReginaCougars 2-0.#GriffNation pic.twitter.com/DxooWDww2O
— MacEwan Griffins Women's Soccer (@Griffins_WSOC) September 28, 2024
Last Saturday, Harper scored off a free kick in the 23rd minute, headed home her second of the game in the 33rd and finished off the hat trick by converting an 87th minute PK. She added an assist on Brenna Paquin's 80th minute strike from distance, setting up the play with a backwards header in midfield.
Harper's PK goal also moved her into a tie for another program record, as she became the seventh Griffin to score two PK goals in a Canada West season, joining teammate Anneke Odinga at 2/2 in 2024.
"Her game is getting to another level," said Cordeiro. "She's turning it up. She's elevated her play and she's just fitting really nicely into our system and game model.
"The way she plays off other players, it's like she's a fourth- or fifth-year in there now and she's only a second year. From that aspect and how quickly she's really grasped the position, it's been a treat to watch, and we're looking forward to the second half of the season to see what else she can do."
Harper and the Griffins will host Winnipeg on Saturday (12 p.m.) and Manitoba on Sunday (11 a.m., both Edmonton Scottish, Canada West TV).