WALNUT CREEK, Calif. – After winning the 2008 CCAA South Division title, the 20th-ranked UC San Diego women’s soccer team had a total of six players named to all-conference squads, it was announced Wednesday by the California Collegiate Athletic Association. Highlighting the group was Natasha Belak-Berger, who was named the CCAA’s Most Valuable Offensive Player, and Amanda Esquivel, who was selected Most Valuable Defensive Player.

Joining Belak-Berger and Esquivel on the All-CCAA First Team was goalkeeper Jessica McGovern, while midfielder Lisa Bradley earned a spot on the second team. Anne Wethe and Sara Bolton took home honorable mention honors to complete the list of UCSD honorees.

Belak-Berger was named the CCAA’s top offensive player after leading the conference for most of the season with a career-high 11 goals scored. The senior forward has accounted for more than a third of UCSD’s scoring this season and the Tritons own a perfect 8-0 mark when she finds the net. Belak-Berger has scored twice in a match on three different occasions and is 3-for-3 on PKs in 2008. She earned first team honors for the second consecutive season. 

Esquivel takes home top defensive billing after leading a Triton backline that allowed a league-best 11 goals during the regular season. A second team selection as a junior a year ago, she has scored one goal and dished out one assist at the offensive end to help guide UCSD to an overall record of 13-3-3 in 2008.

McGovern earned a second straight All-CCAA First Team selection after leading the conference with a total of nine shutouts between the posts as a senior. The Reseda, Calif. native finished the regular season with a goals against average of 0.56, which ranked second in the CCAA, and 61 saves, a total that ranked fifth. McGovern has allowed just four goals in UCSD’s last nine games.

The CCAA Freshman of the Year in 2007, Bradley has scored a pair of goals in 18 starts for the Tritons as a sophomore. She has been a key piece of UCSD’s midfield all season long.

Wethe has also had a huge impact in the midfield this season, starting all 19 games as a freshman. A native of Los Alamitos, Calif., she tallied a pair of assists on the way to honorable mention accolades. Bolton, another key member of the CCAA’s best defense, also earns All-CCAA honors for the first time. She finished the regular season with one goal.

The Tritons begin their quest for another CCAA Tournament Championship on their home field this Friday against San Francisco State. UCSD will square off with the Gators in the final semifinal matchup of the day at 7:30 p.m.