Oct. 20, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - After stellar performances this weekend against No. 23 Minnesota and Iowa, Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.) and Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) have been selected by conference officials as the Big Ten Conference Players of the Week.
Schoepfer led the Nittany Lions offense over the weekend as she took part in every Penn State score. Against No. 23 Minnesota, the junior assisted on both PSU goals in the 2-0 triumph. On Sunday versus Iowa, Schoepfer netted the game's only score for the 1-0 win. The All-American leads Penn State in scoring this season with nine goals to date. The Waterford, Conn., native earns her first award of the season and the third of her career.
Naeher defended the Penn State goal this weekend flawlessly. The junior goalkeeper earned two shutout wins over No. 23 Minnesota and Iowa as the Nittany Lions move to 6-1 in Big Ten games. Naeher recorded nine total saves in the two-game stretch making her save per game mark this season 4.31, which tops the conference. She now has four of the Nittany Lions' eight shutouts on the season. The Seymour, Conn., native takes home her first award of the season and third of her career.
Penn State now stands alone at first place in the Big Ten standings with six conference wins. The Nittany Lions will travel to No. 25 Illinois and Purdue this weekend matching up with the Fighting Illini at 8 p.m. (ET) on Friday before facing the Boilermakers at 1 p.m. on Sunday.