Piranhas striker Shan Jones leads W-League Honorees

TAMPA, Fla. – The W-League announced its 2013 regular season honors today, with Virginia Beach Piranhas striker Shan Jones leading the honorees.

Virginia Beach Piranhas striker, Shan Jones

Jones, who captured the Scoring Champion and Goal Scoring Champion titles thanks to her 11 goals and 24 points in 11 games, led the Piranhas (10-1-1) to the W-League’s regular season title and the top overall seed entering playoff action. Jones and her teammates will welcome the Washington Spirit Reserves (7-3-2) when they host the Northeastern Conference Championship, which is set for 8 p.m. ET Friday at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.

The four conference champions that emerge from next weekend’s action will travel to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida July 26-28 to compete at the 2013 W-League Championship presented by Nike.

Jones, a Wales international who played four award-filled seasons at Middle Tennessee State University, finished four points clear of Jessica Fuccello of the New Jersey Wildcats and Kristen Hamilton of the Colorado Rapids Women in the scoring race, and two goals clear of Fuccello in the goal-scoring race.

A pair of standouts readying for playoff action shared Assist Champion honors this season, with Amber Stobbs of the Washington Spirit Reserves and Juliana Libertin of the Dayton Dutch Lions each recording nine helpers this season. Stobbs, a native of England preparing for her senior season at Hofstra University, will be key in Washington’s attack as it tries to duplicate its 2-0 win against the Piranhas in May, which was the only loss for Virginia Beach.

Libertin, who is prepping for her senior season at the University of Dayton, will lead the Dutch Lions (5-2-3) as they welcome the Carolina Elite Cobras (5-4-1) for the Southeastern Conference Championship Friday night at 8 p.m. ET.

Kailen Sheridan of the Toronto Lady Lynx (5-2-5) is the Goals-Against Average Champion this season after posting five shutouts in seven starts for a miniscule 0.428 GAA.  Sheridan, a Canadian youth international who is headed to Clemson University in the fall, allowed only three goals in 630 minutes to edge Genevieve Richard of the Laval Comets (0.545 GAA) for the honor.

Sheridan’s Lady Lynx teammates travel to face the Ottawa Fury (7-3-2) in the Central Conference play-in game Wednesday night, with the winner set to face Laval (8-1-3) Saturday for the conference title. Sunday’s Western Conference Championship will feature the LA Strikers (8-4-0) and Pali Blues (8-2-2).

The W-League All-Conference Teams will be announced on Monday, July 22, followed by the All-League Team on Tuesday, July 23.  The finalists for Coach of the Year, Defender of the Year, Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player will be announced on Wednesday, July 24, with the awards presented at the W-League Championship Awards Banquet in Bradenton on Saturday, July 27. Goalkeeper of the Year will also be presented at the banquet.