Kozal Named Women's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week
10/12/2021 4:10:00 PM | Women's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State goalkeeper Lauren Kozal was named Big Ten Women's Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week for the second time this season, as announced by the conference on Tuesday afternoon.
Kozal, a keeper from Ada, Mich., again earned Player of the Week honors, this time in for her performance against Ohio State on Sunday. She was previously named Player of the Week on Sept. 21. Last week, Jordyn Wickes was named Freshman of the Week for the Spartans.
The Spartan goalkeeper secured her sixth shutout of the year on Sunday against the Buckeyes. With four saves earned by the redshirt junior, each one was key to the Michigan State 1-0 victory. With a goal on the board late from Lauren DeBeau, the Spartans needed to ensure the win, and Kozal led that effort. When Ohio State earned a penalty kick in the 85th minute, Kozal came up with the save, diving low and to the right to follow the strike and landing on the ball, ending the Buckeye's hopes for a last-minute equalizer.
Kozal sits atop several leadership categories in both Big Ten and NCAA goalkeeping. She has the highest save percentage (.862) of any Big Ten keeper, the 25th-best in the NCAA. She boasts 3.85 saves per game and has allowed just eight goals to score from opponents on the season for a goals-against average of .585. She is in a tie at 20th for the most shutouts of any NCAA Division I goalkeeper.
Michigan state is 25th in the NCAA in goals allowed, allowing less than ten opponent goals while scoring 23 of their own.
The women's soccer team hits the road this Thursday for a match at Michigan, kicking off at 7 p.m. in Ann Arbor.
Kozal, a keeper from Ada, Mich., again earned Player of the Week honors, this time in for her performance against Ohio State on Sunday. She was previously named Player of the Week on Sept. 21. Last week, Jordyn Wickes was named Freshman of the Week for the Spartans.
The Spartan goalkeeper secured her sixth shutout of the year on Sunday against the Buckeyes. With four saves earned by the redshirt junior, each one was key to the Michigan State 1-0 victory. With a goal on the board late from Lauren DeBeau, the Spartans needed to ensure the win, and Kozal led that effort. When Ohio State earned a penalty kick in the 85th minute, Kozal came up with the save, diving low and to the right to follow the strike and landing on the ball, ending the Buckeye's hopes for a last-minute equalizer.
Kozal sits atop several leadership categories in both Big Ten and NCAA goalkeeping. She has the highest save percentage (.862) of any Big Ten keeper, the 25th-best in the NCAA. She boasts 3.85 saves per game and has allowed just eight goals to score from opponents on the season for a goals-against average of .585. She is in a tie at 20th for the most shutouts of any NCAA Division I goalkeeper.
Michigan state is 25th in the NCAA in goals allowed, allowing less than ten opponent goals while scoring 23 of their own.
The women's soccer team hits the road this Thursday for a match at Michigan, kicking off at 7 p.m. in Ann Arbor.
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