Junior Candace Ching was named The Big West’s Offensive Player of the Week on Monday (Aug. 31) for the first time in her career. Photo courtesy of Sacramento State Athletics

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Following her two-goal performance that helped lift the Sacramento State women’s soccer team to victory against Southern Utah, junior Candace Ching was named The Big West’s Offensive Player of the Week on Monday (Aug. 31) for the first time in her career.

Ching became the second Hornet to win weekly honors from the league this season alongside teammate Mia Jackson, who also picked up her own offensive award back on Aug. 17 following two goals in her debut in the green and gold against Pacific. Sacramento State has now won multiple offensive weekly awards in the same season for the first time since 2019 when Kylie Kim-Bustillos, Tiffany Miras and Camila Fonseca did so in the Big Sky Conference.

Her first score came in the 61st minute as she collected a deflected ball that was tapped to her by teammate Marely Velazquez Varela, outraced a defender into the box, and finished with the right foot to the near post to tie the match.

In the 64th minute, Ching then gave her team the lead for good. Establishing position near the penalty spot, Ching chested down a lofted ball from teammate Ellie Farber before unleashing a one-timer into the upper right-hand corner for the eventual game winner.

Along with Jackson’s performance against the Tigers, Ching’s stellar second half gave the Hornets two players with a brace in the same season since 2022 when Abigail Lopez (at Pacific) and Aubrey Goodwill (at Cal State Bakersfield) did so.

Entering the week, Ching ranks tied for second in the league in goals scored with three, tied for sixth in shots on goal with five, and tied for second in the conference in points with six.

Standing as one of only three remaining unbeaten teams in The Big West table, Sacramento State put its 4-0-1 record on the line with a single match the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 4 against Fresno State (Sept. 3).

The Hornets have tied the school record for the best start in school history through five matches originally set by the 2000 squad with the same record. A win over the Bulldogs would give this year’s team the title of the best start in school history after that 2000 team began the year 4-0-2 following a draw against Pacific.