Being one of the top goal scorers in the Southland Conference was enough for Taylor Spitzer to be named Second Team All-SLC, the conference announced Tuesday.
It is the first such honor for Spitzer and the ninth consecutive season NSU (6-10-1 overall, 4-5-1 SLC) has had at least one player on the first or second team all-conference teams. She is the lone NSU representative.
Spitzer proved to the preseason all-conference teams right, as she leads the team in goals (4), points (9), shots (49) and shots on goal (19).
Two of her four goals were game-winners in 1-0 victories against Alabama A&M and UIW.
Her goal against Alabama A&M was off a penalty kick and her goal against UIW came in the first half, which stood as the winner.
“As our leading goal scorer, she has been a big player for us in terms of attacking teams offensively,” first-year head coach Ian Brophy said. “She is also a player that the opposition’s defense has had to worry a lot about. That opens up things offensively for other players, so we have been excited by that.
“She’s been a real danger all year long and taking players on and forcing shots on goal and making goalkeepers make some really good saves. She has forced opposing goalkeepers to make some of the best saves we’ve seen this year, so that has been really exciting in terms of her ability to test goalkeepers and get shots on frame.”
Despite more attention from opposing defenders, Spitzer matched her goal title from her 2022 input as a freshman.
Spitzer, a sophomore from Allen, Texas, also found the back of the net in games at LSU and Texas A&M-Commerce.
For her efforts, she was named SLC Offensive Player of the Week following a weekend in which she tallied goals against UIW and TAMUC.
Spitzer also added her first assist of the season during the regular season finale at Nicholls, a 2-2 tie. Her perfect pass in the box to Emily Senatore
She is one of four Lady Demons to have played in and started all 17 contests so far, joining Libe Banuelos, Emme’ Fernandez and her twin sister Jessica Spitzer.
League champion Lamar dominated the all-conference first team and superlative awards with seven first teamers and garnering five of the eight superlative awards.
Lamar’s Hollie Massey was named SLC Player of the Year, as the Cardinals won the defender of the year (Arely Alaniz), midfielder of the year (Alana Clark), goalkeeper of the year (Nicole Panis) and coach of the year (Nathan Kogut).
Spitzer helps lead fourth-seeded NSU into the SLC Tournament, which begins Wednesday against the tournament hosts fifth-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 7 p.m.
Player of the Year: Hollie Massey, Lamar
Freshman of the Year: Hannah Bell, Texas A&M-Commerce
Newcomer of the Year: Kaydence Ramirez, Texas A&M-Commerce
Defender of the Year: Arely Alaniz, Lamar
Midfielder of the Year: Alana Clark, Lamar
Forward of the Year: Hannah Bell, Texas A&M-Commerce
Goalkeeper of the Year: Nicole Panis, Lamar
Coach of the Year: Nathan Kogut, Lamar
