September 9, 2014
Northwestern freshman goalkeeper Lauren Clem has been honored as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the Conference announced on Tuesday. Clem made 14 stops in back-to-back road shutouts of Missouri and Saint Louis to earn the recognition.
The Stevensville, Michigan, native has started her collegiate career on quite a roll, posting a 4-1-1 record and allowing just two goals in six contests. She has backstopped a Wildcats team that has surrendered only one goal over their last five games (4-0-1), including Sunday's 1-0 win at Saint Louis where Clem preserved the clean sheet and the win with a highlight-reel save.
In that game, with the home side attacking with increasing urgency, a Billiken got loose in the middle of the field and unleashed a shot from outside the box that seemed headed just under the bar and into the back of the net. Clem used some quick footwork and leapt backward, tipping the ball just over the bar.
"Lauren is a phenomenal athlete and probably capable of playing multiple sports at the collegiate level," said head coach Michael Moynihan. "Fortunately she has decided to play goalkeeper for Northwestern."
Clem is the first Wildcat to earn Defensive Player of the Week plaudits since Jenna Hascher on Sept. 16 of last season.
Chicago's Big Ten Team opens Conference play on Thursday afternoon with a visit to Lincoln, Nebraska to take on the Cornhuskers, the reigning Big Ten champions. The game kicks off at 2:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast worldwide on Big Ten Network and BTN2Go.
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