By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information Coordinator
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – After a weekend that saw a pair of draws for the Tennessee Tech soccer team down in Georgia, junior Kalyn Pruett was recognized as the adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week, and freshman Kari Naerdemann as the adidas® OVC Goalkeeper of the Week on Tuesday.
"We're happy and excited for both Kalyn and Kari, they both had great showings this past weekend and are deserving of these two awards," TTU head coach Steve Springthorpe said on the pair of accolades. "We thank the conference for these two honors, and we are of course excited for our team as well. Any time you receive individual honors like this, it's really a testament to the hard work of the entire team and it showed this past weekend."
The pair of honors makes it back-to-back weeks in which Tech has earned two weekly conference accolades after sophomore Mary Francis Hoots took home last week's OVC Defensive Player of the Week, and Naerdemann was named the OVC Co-Goalkeeper of the Week.
Pruett showcased both her defensive and offensive talents over the weekend, playing a pivotal role in both draws down in Georgia. The Nashville native logged an impressive 220 minutes over the weekend, helping anchor a Golden Eagle defense that surrendered just one goal in their pair of double-overtime tilts against Mercer and Georgia State. Pruett was one of just four Tech players that played in each and every minute of both matches.
Offensively, the tenacious junior found the back of the net for the first time in her Tech tenure, kicking off Sunday's scoring with a goal in the 22nd minute that gave the Golden Eagles a 1-0 edge. Overall, Pruett produced two shots on-goal in the pair of weekend affairs.
Pruett is one of just three Tech players to play in each and every minute this season, accumulating an impressive 604 minutes of action, while playing a significant role in TTU's defense that has looked sharp in the early stages of 2015. The Golden Eagles have allowed just two goals in 310 minutes on the road this season, and Tech has held its opponents scoreless in the first half in five-of-six matches this season.
Kari Naerdemann was brilliant over the weekend for TTU, stopping 9-of-10 shots that came her way, four of which came in Friday's scoreless tie with Mercer that saw the Herne, Germany native register her first collegiate shutout.
On Sunday, Naerdemann tallied five more saves in the draw with Georgia State, including two in the second overtime to keep the match knotted at 1-1. In fact, one of her two saves in the second extra session was as good a stop as you will see, after Naerdemann went full extension to prevent a Panther shot that was ticketed to go upper 90 and find the back of the net.
The freshman continues to lead the OVC in save percentage, currently posting a stellar .857 mark.
The Golden Eagles will have just one match this week, hosting Radford on Sunday, Sep. 13. Kickoff at Tech Soccer Field is slated for 1 p.m. CT.
