| Kiersten Wood scored two key goals vs. No. 9 Indiana and No. 4 North Carolina to snag Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors. |
Wood's final regular season statistics
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA, October 31, 2005 - Sophomore midfielder Kiersten Wood (Lititz, Pa.) was named Big Ten field hockey Offensive Player of the Week after scoring two key goals vs. No. 9 Indiana and No. 4 North Carolina over the weekend. Wood's play led the way for Penn State, which won its 17th straight game, an outright Big Ten title and the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Wood, a Big Ten Player of the Year candidate, rallied her team from a one-goal deficit to defeat the Hoosiers, 4-3 in overtime on Friday. With the Lions down, 3-2, Wood slapped a pass to Annelise Legel (Morgantown, Pa.) who connected in the 64th minute to tie the game at three goals apiece and push the game into overtime. In the extra period it was Wood who ended the contest when she scored off a rebound at the 74:52 mark. In the contest the midfielder had a game-high eight shots, including five on goal.
On Sunday, versus No. 4 North Carolina, Wood again pushed the game into overtime when she scored in the 65th minute to tie things up at two goals apiece. She fired four shots in the contest as Penn State nearly upset the Tarheels before falling, 3-2, in overtime.
Wood, last year's Big Ten Freshman of the Year, tallied 12 shots, two goals and one assist over the weekend. She has started all 19 games for the Nittany Lions this year, her second as a full-time starter.
Wood and the Nittany Lions finished the regular season with a 17-2 record, and a perfect 6-0 mark in Big Ten play. The unblemished record is the first-ever for Penn State in Conference action. Penn State next heads to the Big Ten Tournament this weekend at Iowa. As the No. 1 seed Penn State receives a bye, and will play its first game at noon ET on Saturday. The Championship is at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday.