Connie Axiotis Named Conference Player of the Year, Four Others Named All-Conference

Belmont Abbey sophomore forward Connie Axiotis was named the 2009 Conference Carolinas Player of the Year, while Amanda Maddock, Celene Molera and Nicole Voets were named first-team, and Lindsay Palm was named to the second team.

Axiotis, who was the Conference's Freshman of the Year last season, becomes the second-straight Abbey player to receive the league's top billing, after Molera was chosen for the honor in 2008. Axiotis, who was also named to the first-team, has started all 17 matches and has scored 13 goals and assisted on three others.  Of her 13 goals, 11 of them, a league-best, came in conference play, and her 23 points in conference games was also the league high. She also led the league in goals per game in conference play. Her 13 goals overall are third in the league rankings.

Maddock earned all-conference honors for the third time after anchoring a defense that allowed just nine goals, tied for the fewest allowed in conference play. She added two goals, including a penalty kick conversion in the quarterfinal win over Mount Olive.

Molera was named to the first-team for the second-consecutive season after finding the back of the net four times and assisting on two other occasions. Her three game winning goals in conference is third in the league rankings.

Voets earns the first postseason honor of her career after finishing fifth in the league in points and sixth in points per game in conference matches. She also finished tied for third in assists, fourth in assists per game, sixth in goals and seventh in goals in conference only matches. In 16 matches, she has scored seven goals, tied for second on the team, with five assists.

Palm, who was a third-team selection as a freshman in 2007 after scoring eight goals, earned second-team honors this year as part of a defense that allowed just nine goals, tied for the fewest allowed in conference play. She added one assist.