Freshman Celeste Shines for No. 2 UC San Diego as CCAA Player of the Week
Mika Celeste guided No. 2 UC San Diego to another pair of home wins with three goals, and picked up her first career CCAA Player of the Week award for Oct. 7-13.
The true freshman central midfielder out of Pasadena managed three of the Tritons’ eight goals during a dominant home sweep consisting of a 5-2 romp over Humboldt State on Friday night, and a 3-0 blanking of San Francisco State on Sunday.
Celeste’s big week began with the third UC San Diego marker against the Jacks Friday night for an insurance goal and 3-1 edge. She began a give-and-go with sophomore midfield mate, Emily Killeen, and from the top of the 18-yard box, banged a left-footer off the crossbar and in for the two-score advantage.
Against the Gators, Celeste doubled the Triton lead at the 64’ mark, gaining credit for the goal directly from a curling left-footed corner kick from the right side. Then just 127 seconds later, San Francisco State goalkeeper Sommer Harrington was shown a direct red card when she fouled Killeen as the last defensive player on a breakaway. Celeste stepped up to take the ensuing free kick, and blasted it left-footed into the upper right corner from 25 yards away to complete her first collegiate brace.
Celeste, a strong candidate for CCAA Freshman of the Year honors, started both games and put four of her six shots on frame. All six of her goals have been of the splendid variety from distance, either from outside the penalty area or right on the edge. Five have come off her left peg, with two now via free kick. She hit the lone game-winner in that manner, with her right foot, against Cal Poly Pomona on Oct. 4.
Celeste shares the team lead in both goals and points (13), with senior captain and two-time reigning CCAA Defensive Player of the Year Natalie Saddic.
UC San Diego continues a season-long, seven-match home stand against rivals Chico State this Friday night in primetime, and Stanislaus State on Sunday afternoon, as part of the school’s Homecoming weekend. The Tritons remain undefeated at 10-0-1 overall, and sit in second place in the league table at 5-0-1, with a game in hand.
Also nominated:
Kelsey Bess, Humboldt State
Briana Daoust, Cal State San Marcos
Alexis Espitia, Sonoma State
Taylor Scott, Cal Poly Pomona