July 17, 2012
W-LEAGUE LEADER
Ex-Hofstra star top scorer

TAMPA, Fla. – Boosted by a pair of four-goal games as well as a three-goal game, Long Island Rough Riders forward Grace Hawkins stands alone at the top of the scoring charts as the W-League announces its 2012 regular season honors.

Hawkins, who will lead the Northeast Division champion Rough Riders into this weekend’s Eastern Conference Playoffs at the Maryland SoccerPlex, captured both the Scoring Champion and Goal Scoring Champion titles by virtue of her 17 goals and four assists for 38 points in 12 games played.

Hawkins, a former Hofstra and Villanova standout, finished a remarkable 14 points clear of Mexican Women’s National Team standout Veronica Perez of the Seattle Sounders Women in the Scoring Champion race, while Perez also finished six goals behind Hawkins in the Goal Scoring category.
Kristen Edmonds of the New Jersey Wildcats edged out Mikaela Howell of D.C. United Women for the Assist Champion honors, tallying eight assists in 10 games in the tightly-contested Northeast Division. The former Rutgers standout served as the main provider for teammates Yael Averbuch and Maya Hayes, who both finished in the top 10 in goal scoring.

Pali Blues and Italian Women’s National Team goalkeeper Anna Maria Picarelli turned in one of the stingiest seasons in recent years, allowing only three goals against while playing all but 11 minutes of the season to capture the Goals-Against Average Champion honors with a 0.216. Picarelli, who also led the league with 13 wins and 10 shutouts, will be a key factor when the Blues meet the Sounders Women Sunday for the Western Conference Championship.