The Paladins’ goalkeeper and midfielder earn conference recognition after a 2-0 road victory over ETSU extended Furman’s unbeaten streak to eight matches.
Furman Athletics
Furman women’s soccer continues to make its mark in the Southern Conference race, and two Paladins are receiving recognition for their efforts.
Goalkeeper Reese DeJong and midfielder Maddie Massie swept the SoCon Women’s Soccer Player of the Week awards, the conference announced Tuesday, Oct. 27. DeJong earned Defensive Player of the Week honors, while Massie claimed Offensive Player of the Week after helping Furman secure a 2-0 victory at ETSU on Friday night.
The win strengthened Furman’s position near the top of the conference standings as the regular season approaches its conclusion.
DeJong Delivers Another Defensive Shutout
DeJong anchored Furman’s defense against ETSU, recording six saves while keeping the Buccaneers off the scoreboard. The junior goalkeeper’s performance secured her second consecutive clean sheet and her sixth shutout of the season.
A clean sheet means a team does not allow its opponent to score during the match — a crucial achievement as Furman continues its push for the SoCon title.
The Huntersville, North Carolina, native has built an impressive résumé this season. Across 16 appearances, DeJong holds a 10-3-3 record with a 0.97 goals-against average.
That average measures how many goals a goalkeeper allows per game, with a lower number generally reflecting stronger defensive results.
Her latest performance helped the Paladins improve to 6-0-2 in conference play and extend their unbeaten streak to eight matches.
Massie Finds the Game-Winning Goal
While DeJong protected the goal, Massie provided the decisive offensive moment.
The senior midfielder from Birmingham, Alabama, scored the match-winning goal in the 21st minute against ETSU, finishing a well-developed attacking sequence.
Ellie Herrmann sent a long cross toward the far post, where Katie Villiger headed the ball back across the box. Massie lunged to redirect the delivery into the right side of the net, giving Furman the advantage it would maintain for the remainder of the match.
The goal was Massie’s third of the season and the 16th of her career.
Her ability to finish the opportunity gave Furman an early lead and helped the Paladins control the match on their way to the two-goal victory.
What These Honors Mean for Furman
The weekly awards recognize two different parts of Furman’s success: the ability to keep opponents from scoring and the ability to capitalize on opportunities in front of goal.
DeJong’s six saves and shutout demonstrated the defensive reliability Furman needs during a tight conference race. Massie’s timely finish showed how one well-executed attacking sequence can change a match.
Together, their performances reflect a team finding ways to win on both ends of the field.
What it really means: Furman is entering the final stretch of the regular season with momentum and a strong position in the SoCon standings. The Paladins are tied for first with Samford, making their remaining matches especially important as they pursue the conference’s top spot.
Paladins Prepare for Final Regular-Season Matches
Furman travels to Macon, Georgia, on Thursday to face Mercer before returning home to close out the regular season against Western Carolina on Sunday.
The match against Western Carolina is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Seagraves Field at Stone Stadium.
With the conference race still tight, Furman will look to carry its unbeaten run into the final matches. Strong performances from players such as DeJong and Massie could prove pivotal as the Paladins look to finish the regular season at the top of the SoCon standings.
Source: Furman University Athletics.