University of Minnesota Athletics
Clark Named to Soccer America Team of the Week
10/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
Park Ridge, Ill. - University of Minnesota Soccer junior defender Jennie Clark was named to the Soccer America Team of the Week yesterday (Oct. 13), following her performance against Purdue last weekend. Clark is joined on the defense by Blakely Mattern of South Carolina.
This is the second honor of the week for Clark as she was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Monday (10/12).
As Minnesota beat Purdue 1-0 on Oct. 11, Clark led the defensive charge as the Gophers became the first team to go on the road and beat Purdue in 2009. The Boilermakers entered the game carrying a No. 9 national ranking, and as the No. 1 team in the Great Lakes region. It was the first time in Gopher Soccer history to beat a top-10 team on the road, and just the second win over a top-10 team ever.
The Norwalk, Iowa native has been the leader on the Gophers defensive end all year, playing every minute of the season. Clark and her teammates on the backline have led the Golden Gophers to eight shutouts on the season, which stands sixth in single season history.
In the second half against Purdue, the Gopher defense allowed just four shots to the Boilermakers, and controlled the ball to so well that Purdue was held without a corner kick in the period. Purdue was able to manage just four shots on goal in the shutout, as the Gophers became the first team to keep the Boilermakers off the scoreboard in 2009.
Clark was an All-American as a sophomore in 2008, and also earned her first Big Ten Player of the Week honor last season on Sept. 8. She has started the last 55 matches for the Golden Gophers and has been it the starting line-up for the last 30 Minnesota shutouts. She is one of only six players to start every game this season, and she is one of five players on the team to own 50+ career starts.
With Clark named to the Soccer America Team of the Week, it marks the second straight week that the Gophers can boast a National award winner, as Katie Bethke earned the honor last week.
Clark and the Gophers will look to continue their current seven-game unbeaten streak this weekend when they host Penn State on Oct. 16 and No. 19 Ohio State on Oct. 18 at 7:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. respectively. Minnesota is currently in first place in the Big Ten standings, tying for the lead with Wisconsin. Penn State and Ohio State are each right behind, tied in third.
Soccer America Team of the Week
GK - Tara Campbell (Duke, Fr.).
D - Jennie Clark (Minnesota, Jr.), Blakely Mattern (South Carolina, Sr.),
M - Danielle Johnson (Mississippi, Sr.), Meghan Lewis (West Virginia, So.), Becca Thomas (UCF, Sr.), Sr.
F - Danielle Foxhoven (Portland, So.), Sarah Hagen (Wisconsin-Milwaukee, So.), Jill Hutchinson (Wake Forest, Sr.), Kailyn Kugler (UC Santa Barbara, Jr.), Morgan Marlborough (Nebraska, Fr.), Danielle Toney (Penn State, Jr.)
- UM -
