QUINCY, Ill. – Jessie Newton of Quincy University women's soccer has been named the QU Toyota Star of the Week after a record-breaking week that saw the senior midfielder become the program's single-season assists leader while helping the Hawks clinch a spot in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament for the second consecutive season.
The Hawks put together two dominant conference victories, defeating Upper Iowa 7-0 on Wednesday before taking down Lincoln 6-0 on Sunday. Quincy outscored its opponents 13-0 across the two contests, with Newton playing a pivotal role in the offensive success.
The Liverpool, England native and Broughton Hall High School product totaled nine points across 157 minutes of action, recording two goals and five assists to help extend Quincy's winning streak to three matches.
Newton opened the week with a historic performance in the Hawks' 7-0 victory over Upper Iowa at Legends Stadium. The senior scored twice and added two assists, becoming the program's new single-season assists leader in the process.
Her first goal came in the 23rd minute on a beautifully placed free kick into the upper corner of the net, giving Quincy a 1-0 advantage. She then turned into the facilitator, setting up Tori Nelson for a goal in the 39th minute before finding Rebecca Rheinheimer for another in the 57th minute.
Those two assists pushed Newton's season total to 14, breaking the previous Quincy single-season record of 13 set by Jaclyn Mastroianni in 2013.
Newton wasn't finished making her mark on the afternoon. In the 76th minute, she delivered another perfectly placed free kick into the upper corner of the net for her second goal of the match, capping a six-point performance in the Hawks' seven-goal victory.
The playmaking continued on Sunday as Quincy traveled to Jefferson City, Missouri, for a matchup with Lincoln. Newton recorded three more assists in the Hawks' 6-0 victory, helping Quincy officially secure its place in the GLVC Tournament for the second consecutive season and the 23rd time in program history.
Newton assisted on two of Rheinheimer's three first-half goals, helping the Hawks build an early 3-0 advantage before halftime. She added her third assist of the afternoon in the 73rd minute, setting up Claudia Andreu for Quincy's fifth goal of the contest.
With five assists over the two matches, Newton increased her season total to 17, extending her own program record and placing her atop the NCAA Division II national leaderboard in total assists.
Through 16 matches this season, Newton has started every contest and accumulated 1,344 minutes on the field, playing the full 90 minutes in 10 matches. She has totaled 25 points with four goals and 17 assists, including one game-winning goal, establishing herself as one of the nation's premier playmakers.
Newton, who is in her second season with the Hawks, has played an integral role in Quincy's late-season surge. The Hawks have won three consecutive matches and currently sit fourth in the GLVC standings with a 7-2-4 conference record and a 7-3-6 overall mark.
With 25 conference points, Quincy has already secured its postseason berth but still has work to do in the regular-season finale. The top four teams in the GLVC standings earn the right to host a conference tournament quarterfinal, an opportunity the Hawks are seeking for the second consecutive season.
Newton and the Hawks will close out the regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 21, when they travel to Kirksville, Missouri, to face Truman State. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 PM, with a victory strengthening Quincy's chances of securing a top-four seed and hosting a GLVC Tournament quarterfinal at Legends Stadium.
