Texas Tech University Athletics
Beckie, Watson Garner Big 12 Weekly Awards Tuesday
September 16, 2014 | Women's Soccer
Texas Tech goalkeeper Lauren Watson was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday after recording a pair of shutouts last weekend against No. 11 California and Abilene Christian. It is the first career weekly award of her career.
Sept. 16, 2014
LUBBOCK, Texas - Following a pair of victories against No. 11 California and Abilene Christian last weekend, Texas Tech junior forward Janine Beckie was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday while sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Watson garnered Defensive Player of the Week accolades.
This is the fifth career weekly award for Beckie, who has previously been named the Offensive Player of the Week three times during the past two seasons and the conference Newcomer of the Week once in 2012.
Watson, meanwhile, received her first career weekly award after posting a pair of shutout victories last weekend. She now has four shutouts on the season, having allowed only three goals over the first seven matches.
In just the sixth start of her career, Watson collected four saves against Cal, shutting down a Golden Bears attack that had previously outscored opponents, 19-3, heading into the contest. Dating back to 2013, Cal had not been shut out in its previous 10 matches.
Beckie scored the game-winning goal in both matches last weekend, beginning with a header off an Alli Murphy corner kick with just 32 seconds remaining in double overtime against Cal. She followed up with a goal just 24 seconds into the second half in Sunday's 2-0 victory over Abilene Christian.
The two game-winners give Beckie 13 now for her career, the most in school history. Her goal against Abilene Christian was also the 30th of her career, moving her into a tie for second all-time at Tech with former Red Raider great Kristi Patterson (1994-96).
Beckie, who was honored earlier in the day on the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week, ranks among the Big 12 leaders in goals, shots attempted and game-winning goals. She is also tied for fifth nationally with her three-game winnings goals, one shy of the national lead in the category.
Tech has not previously swept Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week accolades since almost a year to this day when Beckie and former goalkeeper Victoria Esson received the two honors on Sept. 17 last year.
The Red Raiders have now received three weekly awards already this year after Hannah Devine was named the conference's top offensive player just a week ago. Tech had not previously won Offensive Player of the Week in consecutive weeks in school history.
Tech return to the road this weekend, traveling to the Oklahoma State Invitational where the Red Raiders will face Tulsa at 5 p.m. Friday evening and Memphis in a 1 p.m. kickoff on Sunday.
Congratulations to @TechGameday Beckie and Watson as well as @TCUSoccer Heckerdorn for receiving #Big12SOC accolades http://t.co/wgBkm90pf8
-- Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 16, 2014 
