Oct. 19, 2009
PARK RIDGE, Ill.--Senior forward Katie Schoepfer (Waterford, Conn.) was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week on Monday afternoon. Thanks in part to her two-goal, four-point weekend at Minnesota and Wisconsin, Schoepfer became the fifth different Nittany Lion to be awarded weekly laurels from the Conference office.
Schoepfer's goals, one each in the Minnesota and Wisconsin games, have extended her scoring streak to six-straight games, the fourth-longest streak in Penn State women's soccer history. She has also become part of the 100-point club, just one of seven PSU student-athletes in the club. Schoepfer needs five points to pass Carole Dutchka for sixth-place in the Nittany Lion record book.
Schoepfer's goal at Minnesota capped one of the most thrilling victories in college soccer when she converted a free kick to break a scoreless stalemate and avert overtime, handing the Gophers' their first loss at home in two years.
The accolade for Schoepfer, which was shared with Wisconsin forward Laurie Nosbusch, is the seventh of the season for the Nittany Lion soccer team. Alyssa Naeher (Seymour, Conn.) has won Defensive Player of the Week three times, while Danielle Toney (Northville, Mich.) took home the Offensive Player of the Week award last week. Lexi Marton (Aurora, Ontario) and Christine Nairn (Bowie, Md.) have previously won the Freshman of the Week Award this season once, respectively.
The Nittany Lions improved to 8-5-2 (4-1-1 Big Ten) with the 1-0-1 road trip, which has them tied with Ohio State atop the Big Ten standings. Penn State takes on Illinois this Sunday at Jeffrey Field for a 2:00 p.m. kick off that will be aired live on the Big Ten Network. The game is a White House, fans are encouraged to wear white and sit in the East Stands to cheer the Nittany Lions to victory.
For complete coverage of Penn State women's soccer, visit http://www.GoPSUsports.com/sports/w-soccer.
Follow Penn State women's soccer on Twitter: @PSUWomensSoccer
--NITTANY LIONS--