Four Matadors Earn All-Big West Honors

COMPLETE ALL-BIG WEST CONFERENCE TEAM

NORTHRIDGE, CA---

After finishing 11-8-1 during the 2015 season, four members of CSUN Women's Soccer earned All-Conference selections with three receiving first time conference honors, the league office announced Tuesday. Sophomore Cynthia Sanchez and junior Kourtney Kutscher earned All-Big West Conference First Team honors while senior Kendall Moskal received a Second Team selection. Lindsay Kutscher earned a spot on the All-Freshman Team in her first season with CSUN.

"Cynthia was an offensive catalyst for us all season long," said head coach Keith West about Sanchez who also earned a pair of Offensive Player of the Week honors during the season. "Anytime you have somebody post double-digit goals on a season, your team will have success."

A forward from Gilroy, CA, Sanchez had a breakout season for the Matadors, totaling 11 goals in her second year with the team. After earning All-Big West Honorable Mention and a Big West All-Freshmen Team selection in 2014, Sanchez increased her goal total from three to 11 in 2015 while also adding three assists.

During her record-breaking season, Sanchez scored in five-straight contests, she recorded a brace on three separated occasions and she tallied six game winners. Against UC Irvine on Oct. 8, she tied the all-time single season scoring record with two goals to help defeat the Anteaters, 2-1. Just three days later, Sanchez found the netting against Cal Poly to become the all-time school leader for goals in a season.

Sanchez also finished the regular season second in the Big West Conference with her 11 goals. In the CSUN record books, Sanchez sits in sixth place with 14 career goals and in eighth place in points with 31.

Originally from Mission Viejo, Kutscher finished second in the team in scoring with six goals while spending time at midfield and at forward for CSUN. Prior to entering her third year with the team, Kutscher had recorded three points in her career but had never registered a goal.

This season, she wasted little time posting her first career goal when she struck the back of the net against Portland State on Aug. 23 in the second match of the year. Kutscher would go on to tally goals in the next two contests. In the season finale on Nov. 1, Kutscher scored twice against UC Santa Barbara including registering her first career game winner with a score off a penalty kick in overtime.

"It's a great honor for Kourtney because she was instrumental in helping Cynthia score goals as well," said West "She often gave passes to Cynthia and put her in a great position to score. In addition, she also put herself in great a position to score."

Kutscher also added two assists in a pair of CSUN victories to push her career point mark to 17.

A versatile member of the Matadors, Moskal started and appeared in all 20 matches for CSUN while playing at defender and forward on the pitch. Hailing from Stevenson Ranch, CA, Moskal served as team captain for the Matadors while contributing on both sides of the field including tallying a career-high three goals in her senior campaign. She scored goals in three CSUN wins including knocking in two penalty kicks on the year.

Moskal leaves CSUN with six goals, an assist and 13 points. She also recorded goals in each season she competed in and she started in every match over her last two seasons.

"She can run for days with the energy she has," added West about Moskal. "She played everywhere on the pitch and she left every ounce of energy out there. As a captain, she was the emotional leader on the team."

Sister to Kourtney Kutscher, Lindsay Kutscher had a strong first season with the Matadors. Appearing in all 20 games and making 19 starts, Kutscher was a key member of a CSUN backline along with Nicole Thompson that helped post seven CSUN shutouts.

"It's a wonderful honor for Lindsay to be included on the All-Conference Freshman Team," said West. "Lindsay, along with Nicole, did so much for the backline against some of the toughest forwards in the conference. They played very strong for us all season."

On the offensive end, Kutscher also tallied a pair of goals. She recorded her first career points against Detroit on Sept. 6 with a goal in the first half and she recorded her second goal against nationally-ranked Texas Tech on Sept. 27.

Four Matadors Earn All-Big West Honors

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Players Mentioned

Kourtney Kutscher

Lindsay Kutscher

Kendall Moskal

Cynthia Sanchez

Nicole Thompson

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