UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Owen Griffith, a sophomore defender on the men's soccer team, was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday. Griffith (Lewisburg, Pa.) helped the Nittany Lions shut out West Virginia in a scoreless draw Sept. 6.
Griffith logged 110 minutes on the field against the Mountaineers, including both overtime periods. The sophomore recorded a trio of shots on the offensive side but excelled on defense, guiding the Penn State back line to its third shutout of the season.
The Nittany Lions are 3-1-1 this season due in large part to their defensive efforts, allowing just four goals through five games (.80 per game). Griffith has been in the starting lineup for each contest and scored the gamewinner against Hartford Aug. 27, the first goal of his collegiate career.
As a freshman, Griffith played in 21 contests with 12 starts, including all but one match in October and November. He recorded an assist in the 1-0 win over Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament semifinal game, his first point as a Nittany Lion.
Griffith is the second Nittany Lion to earn the award this season. Senior teammate Brian Forgue picked up the honor Aug. 27, following the team's 3-0 victory over Stetson in the season-opener.
The men's soccer squad continues its 2012 campaign with home matches against Albany and Adelphi this weekend. The Nittany Lions take on Albany at 7 p.m. Friday and face Adelphi at 3:30 p.m. Sunday.