Oct. 12, 2009
PARK RIDGE, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference honored Danielle Toney (Northville, Mich.) on Monday as she was named the Offensive Player of the Week for her performance this weekend. The junior forward, who earned her first weekly conference honor, notched six points in two games against Northwestern and Iowa.
Toney began her weekend by scoring the quickest goal of the PSU season, tallying her goal just 2:17 into the Northwestern match. Eight minutes later, Toney would assist on the insurance goal scored by Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.) to lead the Lions 2-0 over the Wildcats.
Two days later, Toney was involved in every goal in one form or another. On the first tally for the Lions, Alyssa Kaeding of Iowa headed in an Alli Rago (Greenwich, Conn.) early ball, which Toney went up to win. A few minutes later, Toney made a run down the left wing with the ball to the touchline, dropping a beautiful pinpoint pass to Christine Nairn (Bowie, Md.) who put the shot away for a two-goal advantage.
Just 50 seconds into the second half, Toney took a through ball down field and was tripped in the penalty area, earning a penalty kick, which Schoepfer converted. To polish off her impressive weekend when a Rago through ball found Toney's feet and the junior from Northville, Mich. sent the ball to the back of the net to cap the 4-0 win over Iowa.
Toney is the first Nittany Lion to be named Offensive Player of the Week this season, while Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) has been named Defensive Player of the Week three times. Nairn and fellow freshman Lexi Marton (Aurora, Ontario) have taken home Freshman Player of the Week accolades one time each.
The Nittany Lions improved to 7-5-1 (3-1 Big Ten) entering this weekend's matchups at Minnesota (Friday at 7:00 p.m. CT) and Wisconsin (Sunday at Noon CT). Minnesota and Wisconsin are tied atop the Big Ten standings with 10 points apiece, while Penn State and Ohio State, tied for third with nine points, visit both schools this weekend in pivotal Big Ten clashes.
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--NITTANY LIONS--