SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (October 27, 2025) – Western New England women's soccer junior Liza Pinette and Western New England women's tennis senior Sydney Shepard have been awarded this week's Golden Bear Athletes of the Week, both contributing heavily to their teams' success last week. 

Liza Pinette totaled five points last week for the blue and gold, leading the Golden Bears' women's soccer team to two wins overall. Pinette opened the week with a goal and an assist in a 3-0 non-conference victory over the Falcons of Fitchburg State University, playing in 47 minutes of the game, taking four shots, and putting two on goal. Pinette's goal against Fitchburg was her fourth of the season, while her multi-point effort was her first of the season and career. Pinette followed up that performance with an outstanding performance against Suffolk University this past weekend, netting the eventual game-winning goal for the blue and gold in a 3-2 victory over the Rams. Pinette tallied three shots, putting two on goal in the victory, leading to her team-leading fifth goal of the season. Pinette now has five goals and three assists on the year, good for 13 points overall, has scored two game-winning goals, and taken 18 shots on frame throughout the year. The Western New England women's soccer team travels to Johnson & Wales University on Tuesday, October 28, at 7:00 PM, for its biggest game of the season, with playoff implications on the line. 

Sydney Shepard ended her season in style last week in a conference match against the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.). Shepard opened the match with a doubles victory over the Blue Jays of USJ with partner Lauren Bilodeau, coming up with a 6-4 win in the second pairing. Shepard then went on to play her final match of the season in singles play, where the Windsor Locks, Connecticut, native excelled, winning the third-position match in straight sets (6-1, 6-1) to end her season in style. Shepard wrapped up her campaign with five wins in singles play overall, including four coming in conference play. Shepard also picked up four wins in doubles action on the season, all coming in CNE play.