Oct. 22, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Taylor Herold (Fredericksburg, Va.) and Brittany Grzywacz (Collegeville, Pa.) have been awarded the Big Ten Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week respectively. The honor marks the first time this season and second time of her career that Herold has received the award while Grzywacz has picked up the accolade four times this season and six times while donning the Blue and White.
Herold played a major role in keeping Penn State's Big Ten record perfect in Saturday's shootout win over Michigan State, a team that was previously unbeaten in conference play. Herold scored the match's opening goal to put the Lions up 1-0 early off a penalty corner strike. With less than three minutes remaining in the match and PSU trailing by one, Herold once again found the back of the cage, sending the contest into overtime.
After two scoreless overtime frames, Herold scored the decisive shootout goal to cement the victory and extend Penn State's winning streak to 10 matches, the longest active streak in the nation. The multi-goal performance was the second of her season. The two scores give Herold 10 on the season, which leads the team.
To supplement Herold's heroics on offense, Grzywacz made play of the match on the defensive end. In the seventh minute of the first overtime session, Michigan State's Allie Ahern had what looked to be the winning score. On a breakaway, the Spartan dribbled around the Penn State keeper and shot towards the empty net. Out of nowhere came Grzywacz, who sprinted to the cage and saved the Lions by laying out and making a diving save at the line to stop the ball from rolling into the net, keeping the Blue and White alive in the contest.
The Defensive Player of the Week award marks the sixth-straight week a Penn State athlete has received the honor, while this is the first time this season the Lions have been awarded the Offensive Player of the Week recognition. Grzywacz has claimed the honor for the second-straight week and fourth time this season, matching the most recorded by a Penn State field hockey player in a single season.
With the honor, Herold has now received a Big Ten Player of the Week award for the third consecutive season. The James Monroe High product was named the Freshman of the Week during 2011 and the Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 30 a season ago.
Penn State will travel to Iowa City this weekend for a Big Ten showdown with the Hawkeyes on Friday, Oct. 25 in a match that is slated to begin at 3 p.m. The contest vs. Iowa will air live on the Big Ten Network. After facing the Hawkeyes, Penn State will face UC Davis for the first time in program on Saturday Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. The match will be a neutral site match in Iowa City.