RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference has announced the league's Offensive Player, Defender and Goalkeeper of the Week for the eighth week of the women's soccer season. Harding's Hannah Hatcher and Kaitlyn Miller won the Defender and Goalkeeper of the Week award while Southwestern Oklahoma State's Miranda Balezentis scored the Offensive Player of the Week honor.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Miranda Balezentis, Southwestern Oklahoma State, F, So., Tulsa, Okla.­

Balezentis scored perhaps the most crucial goal for the Bulldogs this season as she found the back of the net with just over one minute remaining in regulation to give SWOSU a 1-0 victory over second-place Ouachita Baptist. The victory put SWOSU on the verge of claiming a second-consecutive GAC Championship.

DEFENDER OF THE­­­ WEEK – Hannah Hatcher, Harding, Sr., Georgetown, Texas

Hatcher anchored a Harding defense that handed Southwestern Oklahoma State its first shutout to a GAC team since Oct. 29, 2011. She played the full 180 minutes in wins against the Bulldogs and Northwestern Oklahoma State. The Lady Bisons extended their win streak to three.

GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK – Kaitlyn Miller, Harding, So., Bryant, Ark.

Miller played all 180 minutes in net as the Lady Bisons defeated Southwestern Oklahoma State and Northwestern Oklahoma State to push their win streak to three. She made four saves in a 1-0 victory against the No. 18 Bulldogs, the program's first win against SWOSU since 2008 and their first against a ranked foe since 2006.

NOTABLE NOMINEES
- Haley Hatcher, F, So., Harding (Registered a hat trick and an assist in win vs Northwestern Oklahoma State)

- Larkin Hatcher, MF, So., Harding (Notched the only goal in Harding's win vs No. 18 Southwestern Oklahoma State)

- Mallary Pineda, F, Jr., Southern Nazarene (Scored the opening goal in SNU's 2-1 victory against East Central)

- Morgan Allen, D, So., Ouachita Baptist (Made two team saves vs SWOSU; OBU surrendered just one goal this weekend)

- Kira Bertrand, D, Sr., Southwestern Oklahoma State (Anchored a defense that allowed only one goal over two games)

- Sara Eguren, D, Sr., Southern Nazarene (Led a defense that held East Central to only five shots, one on goal)

- Sarah Broyles, GK, Sr., Ouachita Baptist (Made 13 saves and posted a 0.67 goals-against average over two contests)

- Courtney Flores, GK, Fr., Southwestern Oklahoma State (Recorded seven saves with an .875 save percentage)