Thomas Named Co-ACC Player of the Week
10/6/2009 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 6, 2009
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Senior Emma Thomas of the top-ranked Maryland field hockey team earned the Atlantic Coast Conference's Field Hockey Co-Player of the Week award the league announced Tuesday. She won the award for her impressive performance in the Terps' wins over No. 20 American on Sept. 29 and over No. 3 Virginia on Oct. 2.
Thomas will share the award with Melanie Brill of No. 2 North Carolina. Brill helped North Carolina extend its record to 11-0 on the year with a 3-0 win over No. 4 Wake Forest over the weekend.
Thomas, a native of High Wycombe, England, helped the Terrapins to a 12-0 record on the year and a 3-0 ACC record. In the Terps' 3-0 win over at American, she scored twice, including a penalty stroke awarded to Maryland late in the second half. In a hard-fought defensive match-up, her two goals were the second and third for the Terps to seal the win.
In Maryland's home match against the Cavaliers, Thomas notched a goal and an assist. Her assist to senior Nicole Muracco off of a penalty corner setup put the Terps on the board to even the score at 1-1. She later scored the Terrapins' third goal off of a penalty stroke with ten minutes remaining in the game.
"Emma has become the field general for us. She is a dynamic attacker, solid one on one defender but most impressively one of the most compassionate, hard working players we have ever coached. She works daily on her set pieces as they pertain to our needs. She is so deserving of this recognition," head coach Missy Meharg said.
Thomas currently has 13 goals and eight assists on the year. She has a total of 34 points this season, tying her and Brill at fourth in the ACC for points. Her current shot on goal percentage is .694. She is the fourth Terp to be honored with the award in the 2009 season, following freshman Janessa Pope, Muracco, and junior Katie O'Donnell.
Maryland is currently ranked No. 1 in the Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. Thomas and the rest of the Terps will host No. 5 Princeton Wednesday night at 7 p.m. before heading to Durham on Saturday to take on No. 14 Duke at 1 p.m.
