Phillips is Named First Team All-Northwest Conference in Women's Soccer

Phillips is Named First Team All-Northwest Conference in Women's Soccer
November 13, 2015

By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director

SALEM, Ore. -- Willamette University senior defender Jill Phillips (Fairbanks, AK/West Valley HS) has been chosen First Team All-Northwest Conference in women's soccer. Kelsey Walker (So., M, Westerville, OH/Westerville North HS) was named Second Team All-NWC and Emily Sewall (Jr., GK, Petaluma, CA/Casa Grande HS) earned Honorable Mention All-NWC recognition.

The 2015 All-Northwest Conference Women's Soccer Team was selected in voting by the NWC head coaches. A total of 12 players were named to the First Team, with 12 players added on the Second Team and five athletes chosen for Honorable Mention.

Willamette achieved a 9-9-2 overall record, including a 9-6-1 record in the NWC. The Bearcats placed third in the NWC standings with 28 points. Willamette shut out nine of its 20 opponents and limited six other opponents to a single goal.

First Team All-Northwest Conference

Jill Phillips (Sr., D, Fairbanks, AK/West Valley HS) Jill Phillips (Sr., D) played in all 80 games during her Willamette career and made 72 starts. She provided outstanding play on defense throughout her four years with the Bearcats, and scored five goals and five assists while contributing to the attack. She took 61 shots during her career with 19 shots on goal.

Phillips scored four game-winning goals for the Bearcats, including the only goal in a 1-0 win over Whitworth University on Sept. 27 this season. She scored the game-winning goal against George Fox University with three seconds left in the second overtime in a 1-0 win on Oct. 20, 2013.

This year, Phillips helped the Bearcats shut out nine teams and hold six teams to one goal. The Bearcats achieved a 0.87 team goals against average. On offense, Phillips recorded one goal and one assist this year.

Second Team All-Northwest Conference

Kelsey Walker (So., M/GK, Westerville, OH/Westerville North HS) Kelsey Walker (So., M) played in all 20 games and led the Bearcats in scoring this season with five goals for 10 total points. She also led the team with 43 shots, including 22 shots on goal. Four of her goals were game-winners for the Bearcats.

She scored two game-winners in a pair of 1-0 victories over Lewis & Clark College. On Oct. 4, she scored early in the game at 12:05 in a road win. In the rematch on Nov. 1, she scored on a penalty kick at 103:44 in the second overtime for a win at Sparks Field.

Walker also played one game in goal. She recorded six saves in Willamette's 1-0 win over Whitworth on Sept. 27.

She was chosen NWC Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week on Sept. 28. She was the NWC Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week on Oct. 5.

In two seasons at Willamette, Walker has earned five goals and three assists for 13 points. She has taken 51 shots, while placing 27 shots on goal. She has seen action in 38 games with 22 starts, including 17 starts in 2015.

Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference

Emily Sewall (Jr., GK, Petaluma, CA/Casa Grande HS) Emily Sewall (Jr., GK) was stellar in the nets this year. She recorded eight solo shutouts. She played 1,779 minutes in goal and registered a solid 0.91 goals against average. She made 75 saves during the season, including a career-high 14 saves in a 1-0 double-overtime loss to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Sept. 13.

Sewall was named NWC Defensive Student-Athlete of the Week on Nov. 2 after leading Willamette to a 2-1 win over George Fox and a 1-0 victory against Lewis & Clark.

During three seasons with the Bearcats, Sewall has played 2,545 minutes in the nets and has attained 1.13 career goals against average. She has recorded 180 saves and 18 shutouts.