Texas Tech University Athletics
Watson Repeats as Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week
September 23, 2014 | Women's Soccer
Lauren Watson repeated as the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday following her shutout this past weekend of Memphis. The sophomore is the Big 12 leader currently with a 0.42 goals-against average.
Sept. 23, 2014
Watson recorded her fifth shutout already this season on Sunday in a 1-0 victory over Memphis at the Oklahoma State Invitational. She recorded a career-high eight saves in the win that continued Tech's undefeated 9-0 start to the season.
The Woodlands, Texas native faced 29 shots combined last weekend against both Tulsa and Memphis as she surrendered just one goal during that time. It was just the fourth goal allowed by the Tech defense so far this season.
Watson currently leads the Big 12 and ranks 12th nationally in goals-against average (0.42). Her five shutouts are tied for the conference high as well as Tech has boosted one of the league's top defenses through the first month of the season.
Watson joins former teammates Victoria Esson and Jessica Fuston as the only Red Raiders in school history to receive a Big 12 weekly award in back-to-back weeks. Esson repeated as Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week three times from Sept. 20-Oct. 4, 2011, while Fuston garnered the league's Newcomer of the Week on Oct. 19-26, 2010.
Tech has now received four Big 12 weekly awards this season as Janine Beckie and Hannah Devine have both previously been named the conference's Offensive Player of the Week.
The Red Raiders, one of just four teams nationally still with an undefeated record, open Big 12 play on Friday evening when No. 6 Tech faces in-state rival Texas at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. with television coverage provided by the Longhorn Network.
Congratulations to @TCUSoccer Gray, @TechAthletics Watson and @wvuwomenssoccer Abam, this week's #Big12SOC honorees. http://t.co/9Yyba5ECrW
-- Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) September 23, 2014 
