Nov. 14, 2007

Greenville, S.C. - Furman goalkeeper Briana da Mota picked up her third honor of the week when she was named the Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week, it was announced Wednesday by the league office.

Da Mota, who earned SoCon All-Tournament and Soccer Buzz Elite National Team-of-the-Week honors earlier in the week, stopped 19 shots in leading Furman to the Southern Conference Tournament Championship this past weekend.

The sophomore stopped nine shots, several on diving saves, to help Furman preserve an early 2-0 lead and topple the tournament favorite UNC Greensboro Spartans 3-1 on Sunday. In Friday evening's semifinal versus host Davidson, da Mota turned away 10 shots and notched her eighth shutout of the year as Furman won a dramatic 1-0 double overtime contest to advance to the championship match.

The Lilburn, Ga., product has posted a 0.97 goals against average through 20 matches this season. Her eight shutouts equal the third best single season mark in program history.

Da Mota, a communications and political science major, sports a 3.96 grade point average.

Furman opens play in the 2007 NCAA Women's Soccer Championship on Friday facing host Tennessee at 5:30 p.m. at Regal Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.