MF
Megan Fitzgerald
  • Childhood Special Education
  • Class of 2018
  • Thomaston, CT

Fitzgerald, Rousselle & Kempf Receive EC Athlete of the Week Awards

2017 Nov 7

For the week ending September 24, the Elmira College Department of Athletics has chosen to recognize three student-athletes - Megan Fitzgerald '18, Jordyn Rousselle '18 and Janie Kempf '21 - as EC Athletes of the Week in honor of their standout performances.

With a combined 3-1 record in matches against Alfred and Fredonia, Fitzgerald solidified her name atop the EC women's tennis record book as the program's all-time wins leader. She broke the previous mark held by former teammate Ayaka Yoshino '16 during Saturday's home match against the Saxons, and with her doubles victory on Sunday against the Blue Devils, has amassed 76 wins in her illustrious career. Fitzgerald also tied Yoshino's record for the most career singles wins (37) and doubles wins (39).

The Thomaston, Connecticut, native teamed up with Katy Jewett '21 to secure an 8-2 victory at No. 1 doubles over Alfred's top duo of Tori Pellegrino and Miranda Sakala, before dispatching Pellegrino, 6-1, 6-1, at first singles. Then on Sunday in Fredonia, New York, Elmira's top doubles tandem improved to 7-1 on the season with their fifth consecutive win, as Fitzgerald and Jewett topped Blue Devils Anna Chiacchia and Olivia Miller by an 8-3 score.

Rousselle was responsible for three of the four goals netted by the Elmira women's soccer team last week, which guided the Purple and Gold to a 1-0-1 record in two home contests. The senior striker tallied twice, including the game-winner, in EC's 3-2 overtime defeat of Wells on Tuesday, September 19, and came up clutch with a late goal in the second half to force overtime in a 1-1 double-overtime draw against Alfred in the 2017 Empire 8 opener on Saturday.

Her outing against the Express was one of the best of her four-year career with the Soaring Eagles, as Rousselle tied her single-game high with two goals. Down 1-0 in the first half, the Stillwater, New York, native made a great play to steal the ball from a Wells defender and then rip a shot from the 18 over the head of the goalkeeper. Her second score came in the 92nd minute, when she collected a cross from Sara Kazerouni '18 and toed the ball inside the near post for the overtime win. Against the Saxons on Saturday, Rousselle finished an outstanding feed from Kate DeLellis '18 - a lob in the box from the far sideline - by firing it ball past the AU keeper on the doorstep on her second touch.

On the season, Rousselle ranks among the E8's leading scorers in several categories. She is tied for first in goals scored (4), second in points (10), and tied for second in both goals (.571) and points per game (1.43).

Kempf, a freshman on the Elmira field hockey team, matched Rousselle's goal production with a trio of tallies in a 1-1 week. She deposited both goals in the Soaring Eagles' first win of the season, a 2-1 non-conference defeat of Brockport on Tuesday night, to go along with her team-leading fifth goal of the year against Stevens on Saturday.

Originally from New Woodstock, New York, Kempf almost single-handedly led the Soaring Eagles to a one-goal win over the Golden Eagles. She registered the game's first goal in the 28th minute on an assist from Atu Mackika '18. Then with the score leveled at 1-1, she posted the first game-winning goal of her young career in the 55th minute to secure the 2-1 triumph. In the loss to Empire 8 foe Stevens on Saturday, Kempf finished a possession that began with a steal at midfield and a great run down the left wing by Alison Mariano '18, who earned an assist on the play.

Through the first eight games of her debut season, Kempf not only leads the team in goals, but ranks second in the Empire 8 in freshman scoring and tied for seventh overall in goals. She is the first Elmira freshman to score at least five goals since 2012, when Ashley Palmer '16 netted six as a rookie.