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Koker Named B1G Defensive Player of the Week
4/6/2021 10:43:00 AM | Soccer
MINNEAPOLIS – Katie Koker has been named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for her performance against Wisconsin this past weekend, as announced by the conference on Tuesday afternoon.
The honor marks Koker's second Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award of the 2021 season. Koker previously garnered the accolade on March 9 following back-to-back team shutouts of Michigan State and Illinois, also scoring her first career goal in a 2-1 overtime win over Northwestern.
Although the Gophers only competed in one game last week, Koker made her presence known as Minnesota played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw against Wisconsin on April 3. Playing 58 minutes off the bench against the Badgers, Koker was vital in securing one point for Minnesota in the Big Ten standings with her efforts on the Gopher back line.
With the game knotted at 1-1 in the 107th minute of play, Wisconsin's Cameron Murtha snuck a shot past goalkeeper Megan Plaschko as she came out to challenge. Making a game-saving play, Koker arrived on the scene to make a sliding team save and clear the potential golden goal out of harm's way.
Thanks to Koker's efforts, Minnesota held on for a 1-1 draw to finish the season at 5-3-3. With the regular season now complete, the Gophers will travel to Champaign, Ill. to take on Nebraska at 4 p.m. CT on April 8 in the first round of Big Ten Regional Weekend.
2021 Big Ten Weekly Honors
Katie Koker – Defensive Player of the Week (April 6)
Sophia Boman – Co-Freshman of the Week (March 30)
Delaney Stekr – Defensive Player of the Week (March 30)
Sophia Boman – Freshman of the Week (March 16)
Katie Koker – Defensive Player of the Week (March 9)
Megan Plaschko – Goalkeeper of the Week (March 9)
The honor marks Koker's second Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award of the 2021 season. Koker previously garnered the accolade on March 9 following back-to-back team shutouts of Michigan State and Illinois, also scoring her first career goal in a 2-1 overtime win over Northwestern.
Although the Gophers only competed in one game last week, Koker made her presence known as Minnesota played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw against Wisconsin on April 3. Playing 58 minutes off the bench against the Badgers, Koker was vital in securing one point for Minnesota in the Big Ten standings with her efforts on the Gopher back line.
With the game knotted at 1-1 in the 107th minute of play, Wisconsin's Cameron Murtha snuck a shot past goalkeeper Megan Plaschko as she came out to challenge. Making a game-saving play, Koker arrived on the scene to make a sliding team save and clear the potential golden goal out of harm's way.
Thanks to Koker's efforts, Minnesota held on for a 1-1 draw to finish the season at 5-3-3. With the regular season now complete, the Gophers will travel to Champaign, Ill. to take on Nebraska at 4 p.m. CT on April 8 in the first round of Big Ten Regional Weekend.
2021 Big Ten Weekly Honors
Katie Koker – Defensive Player of the Week (April 6)
Sophia Boman – Co-Freshman of the Week (March 30)
Delaney Stekr – Defensive Player of the Week (March 30)
Sophia Boman – Freshman of the Week (March 16)
Katie Koker – Defensive Player of the Week (March 9)
Megan Plaschko – Goalkeeper of the Week (March 9)
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