By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – For the second time in three weeks, senior Karigan Owens of the Tennessee Tech soccer team has been named the adidas® Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Week. Owens, who took home the honor Tuesday afternoon, notched a goal and an assist en route to a three-point weekend in shutout victories over Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky.
The La, Grange, Ky. native did not leave the pitch in the two contests, playing all 180 minutes and coming up big for a Tech defense that kept the Eagles and Colonels off the scoreboard. The Golden Eagles lead the conference with nine shutouts and haven't been scored on in the last 487 minutes dating back to an Oct. 1 match with Austin Peay.
Owens most recently took home OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 3, following a three-assist weekend in wins over Belmont and Austin Peay. Overall, the 5-foot-9 defender has now been recognized with five weekly honors in her Tech tenure after receiving three awards in 2016.
After taking four shots, three of which were on-goal in Friday's 1-0 victory over Morehead State, Owens came up huge in Tech's 2-0 win over Eastern Kentucky Sunday afternoon. The dynamic senior helped get the Golden Eagles off to a quick start with an assist just over six minutes into the contest. Owens fed Molly Kafader off of a corner that saw Kafader head one into the back of the net to give Tech the early, 1-0, edge.
Owens' fourth assist of the season moved her into sole possession of third place on the all-time career list, surpassing TTU Hall of Famer Jill Burns with her 17th career assist.
Early in the second, Owens was at it again, this time splitting the pipes directly on a corner in the 54th minute for her first goal of the year.
Owens and the rest of the Golden Eagles will be at it Sunday afternoon in the regular season finale against UT Martin. First kick with the Skyhawks is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT. The match will also serve as Senior Day as the Golden Eagles will hold a special pre-game ceremony honoring Owens, Lauren Brewer, Mary Francis Hoots, Michaella Keyes, McKenzie McCloud, Alyssa Montgomery and Cassidy Ortman, as well as team manager Zoie Hensley.
Tech is currently sitting in a tie with Eastern Kentucky for second place in the OVC, holding the tiebreaker with the Colonels by virtue of Sunday's 2-0 nod. The Golden Eagles are two points back of first-place Murray State. The top two finishers earn a double-bye straight to the OVC Tournament semifinals.
Photo by Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
