Austin Peay State University Soccer team’s Claire Larose, Renee Semaan, Anna McPhie receive All-OVC honors

Cape Girardeau, MO – Austin Peay State University soccer team’s Claire Larose, Renee Semaan, and Anna McPhie of the  all received All-Ohio Valley Conference honors (as selected by the OVC women’s soccer coaches and sports information directors), Thursday, at the OVC Soccer Banquet.

“I’m delighted to have our three players recognized by the conference,” head coach Naomi Kolarova said.

“Claire [Larose] has been dangerous going forward all year, leading the way in shots and goals. Renee [Semaan] has been the rock of the defense for multiple years now, and Anna has come in as a freshman and started all but a couple games. These are three great players and we feel lucky to have Claire and Anna back next year to continue to contribute,” Kolarova stated.

Larose, a midfielder from London, Ontario, Canada, received First Team All-OVC honors, after being named Second Team a year ago. Larose led the Governors offensive attack all season, posting 11 points off of three goals and five assists in her junior campaign.

In the OVC, Larose ranked in the top-10 in shots, shots on goal, and game-winning goals; she also ranked fourth in the conference in assists, with five.

Larose becomes the first Governor to named First Team All-OVC under coach Kolarova, and is the first Gov since Kirstin Robertson in 2017 to be receive first team honors.

The Governors senior captain, Semaan anchored the Austin Peay defense this season and for most of her career. The Knoxville, Tennessee, native was named Second Team All-OVC for the second consecutive season. A stalwart on the defensive end, Semaan led the Governor defense all season long, and even scored a goal on Senior Day against Evansville.

By posting back-to-back All-OVC seasons, Larose and Semaan are the first pair of Austin Peay teammates to receive All-OVC honors together in consecutive seasons since Natalia and Tatiana Ariza in 2012 and 2013.

Finally, McPhie was voted to the OVC All-Newcomer team in her first season in Clarksville. A native of Nelson, New Zealand, McPhie tied Larose for the team lead in goals with three. The freshman Kiwi posted eight points on the season, good for second on the team, scoring three times and adding two more assists.

McPhie is the first Gov to be named to the All-Newcomer team since Morgan Drawdy received the honor in 2017.

With three players named to the All-OVC teams, it marks the fifth-straight season that the Governors have had three players receive All-OVC honors.

2019 All- Ohio Valley Conference Soccer Teams

First Team

GK – Sara Teteak, Eastern Illinois

F – Miyah Watford, Murray State

F – MacKenzie Litzsinger, SIUE

F – Abby Jones, Murray State

F – Kendall Powell, Tennessee Tech

MF – Claire Larose, Austin Peay State University

MF – Esmie Gonzales, Southeast Missouri

MF – Tina Marolt, Tennessee Tech

D – Maria Castaldo, UT Martin

D  – Izzy Heckman, Murray State

D – Katie Shaffer, Eastern Kentucky

D – Kaitie Shipley, Tennessee Tech      

(12 appear on the First Team due to a tie)

Second Team

GK – Jensen Schoch, SIUE

F- Hailey Block, Southeast Missouri

F – Julie Garst, Belmont

F – Cynthia Bagozzi, Jacksonville State

MF – Sarah Owusu, Eastern Kentucky

MF – Itxaso Aguero, Eastern Illinois

MF – Bella Roberts, UT Martin

D – Renee Semaan, Austn Peay State University

D – Nicole Palmer, Morehead State

D – Elin Berggren, UT Martin

D – Rachel Vernon, Belmont

All-Newcomer

Audrey Anderson, Eastern Kentucky

Cynthia Bagozzi, Jacksonville State

Elin Berggren, UT Martin          

Hailey Block, Southeast Missouri

Maria Castaldo, UT Martin       

Emma Dutko, SIUE     

Anna McPhie, Austin Peay State University 

Avery Nowak, Belmont

Lauren Payne, Murray State

Lily Schnieders, SIUE  

Saraya Young, Murray State