BENNINGTON, Vt. – The New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) announced Monday its first batch of weekly award winners for the 2014 fall sports, and Southern Vermont College freshman Melissa Mascari (Saratoga Springs, New York) was selected as the Women's Soccer Rookie of the Week for the period ending August 31, 2014.

Mascari had a very strong weekend in goal during her first collegiate action for the Mountaineers, stopping a total of 29 shots across two games at the Second Annual Norwich Cadet Kick-Off Classic. She made 20 saves in Saturday night's tough 1-0 loss to Johnson State College and followed that up with one goal allowed and nine saves in a 1-0 defeat by Lyndon State College Sunday afternoon; Sunday's game was cut short by slightly over 18 minutes, leading to her 1.13 goals against average for the weekend.

The SVC rookie and the Mountaineers return to action Wednesday afternoon when they host Morrisville State College for a 4 p.m. season opener.