Winthrop lacrosse’s Girani named Big South’s defensive player of the week

Winthrop lacrosse goalie Alaina Girani has been named the Big South Defensive Player of the Week it was announced Tuesday by the conference office.

The award for Girani, a freshman from Wirtz, Va., is her third weekly award of the year. This is the second defensive player of the week award for the rookie and she has also earned a freshman of the week nod.

In the Eagles’ only contest last week against Cincinnati, Girani picked up her eighth victory of the season in limiting the Bearcats to only five goals and also making five saves. Girani is currently second in the Big South and 28th in Division I in goals against average, having allowed just shy of nine goals per contest this season.

Winthrop will return to the field on Saturday to open up conference play on the road at Presbyterian. The matchup against the Blue Hose is slated for a 1 p.m. start.

This story was originally published March 31, 2015 at 2:02 PM with the headline "Winthrop lacrosse’s Girani named Big South’s defensive player of the week."