Ram’s Pip Pattison Named NCCAA DI National Player of the Week - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

The following is a press release from Bluefield College:

Cortney "Pip" Pattison was named the National Christian College Athletic Association Division I Women's Soccer Student-Athlete of the Week for the week ending Sept. 16 in a release made today by NCCAA officials. The honor is Pattison's first of the year and second career weekly award -- first National Player of the Week.

Pattison, a junior midfielder from Radford, Va., who was the Rams leading goal scorer from a year ago scored five goals in three games on the week as BC went 2-1-0 including the Red, White & Blue's program record 8-1 victory over Cumberlands (Ky.) in their Mid-South Conference debut.

"Pip has been fantastic this season," said Bluefield College's Head Coach Chase Neidig. "She has scored both timely and impactful goals for the team while setting personal and program records."

Pattison continued her junior campaign in fine form this past week. The Radford, Va., native scored two goals and provided an assist in the Rams 4-3 loss to Emmanuel (Ga.) on Monday, then netted three goals including the game winner and provided the opening goal's assist in BC's 8-1 thrashing of the MSC's fourth place squad from a year ago, Cumberlands in Bluefield College's MSC opener on Wednesday. She closed the week with two first half goals in BC's 5-0 victory over Brevard (N.C.) on Saturday. That result avenged a 4-0 loss to Brevard from a year ago.

On the season Pattison leads the Rams with 11 goals and 24 points, setting the BC single-season record in goals and points while her 18 career goals in 26 appearances set the program career record. On the season she ranks third in the NCCAA and sixth in the NAIA in goals while her 11 goals and two assists equal 54 percent (13-of-24) of the Rams single-season second best (24) goals after just seven games. Her performances for first-year Head Coach Chase Neidig have helped to guide BC to more wins (4) than they had a year ago when they won just two in 19 matches. Neidig who was hired on June 4 has guided the Rams to the biggest win (8-1) in program history, first conference win since 2009, and second most single-season goals (24) through his first seven games at the helm.

"Pip is a player who can play in a number of positions that gives us a lot of flexibility as a coaching staff depending on who were playing," said Neidig.

Pattison ranks No. 1 in the NCCAA in total goals (11), second in goals per game (1.57), and third in points per game (3.43). She also ranks in the top-17 in the NAIA in six different categories including sixth in goals (11), ninth in total points (24), 10th in goals per game (1.57), 13th in points per game (3.43), game winning goals (2), and 17th in shots on goal per game (3.57). She also ranks 26th in shots per game (5.43).

Last season the 5-foot-7 midfielder earned the Appalachian Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the week ending Oct. 16, 2011 when she scored three goals and provided an assist along with recording two saves in goal earning the Rams first win of the season as Bluefield College went 1-1-0 during that week. Pattison ended her first season on the All-AAC Second Team with a team-high and then single-season best seven goals in 19 games. She also made four appearances in goal, making 25 saves earning a 1-2-0 record in 324 minutes between the pipes.

The Rams who moved up to No. 5 from eighth in the most recent (Sept. 17) Conference/A.I.I./Unaffiliated Group Poll by the NAIA in the Mid-South Conference are in the midst of the most successful start to a season since 2008 they travel to Columbia, Ky., to face the No. 2 ranked team in the NAIA, Lindsey Wilson College for a 6 p.m. EST kickoff on Wednesday. Lindsey Wilson brings in a 3-2-1 mark on the season after dropping a 3-2 double overtime loss to No. 3 Lee University before defeating No. 16 Vanguard (Calif.) last week. On the year the Blue Raiders have played three top-five opponents accounting for two losses. Through their first six games LWC has played five ranked opponents and finished last season undefeated in the Mid-South Conference with an unblemished 7-0-0 mark in the MSC and a 19-1-2 overall mark losing in the NAIA National Championship Quarterfinals.