WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue soccer senior forward Sarah Griffith and sophomore defender Nicole Kevdzija have been named the Big Ten Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, the conference announced on Tuesday.
Griffith earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week accolades after she scored a hat trick in Sunday's win over Ball State. Kevdzija was named the Defensive Player of the Week after she netted the game-winning goal while helping Purdue shut out Gonzaga on Thursday. The honors are the first of the season for the Boilermakers.
The Big Ten Player of the Week distinction is the fourth of Kevdzija's young career. Last season, she was recognized with Freshman of the Week honors twice and Offensive Player of the Week accolades once. Griffith is named the league's Player of the Week for the first time in her career.
Griffith became the sixth player in program history to score a hat trick on August 29, as she led Purdue to a 5-1 win over Ball State at Folk Field. The first three-goal match by a Boilermaker since 2017, Griffith scored in the seventh, 51st and 59th minutes. She had a match-high six shots and five shots on goal in the contest.
The Naperville, Illinois, native has four goals in four matches this season and 13 in her career. Sunday's hat trick performance came 10 days after her goal on August 19 to open the season was featured as the No. 5 play on Sports Center's Top-10 Plays on ESPN.
Kevdzija scored her first goal of the season, the match-winner, in the 69th minute on August 26 in a 1-0 win against Gonzaga She also helped the Boilermakers earn their first clean sheet while shutting out a Bulldog team that had scored seven goals in their opening two matches. Three days later, Kevdzija added an assist against Ball State on Purdue's final goal. She and the Boilermaker defense handed both Gonzaga and Ball State their first defeats of the year.
In her 16-match career, the Strongsville, Ohio, native has four career goals, three of them game-winners. Kevdzija has two career assists.
Up next, Griffith, Kevdzija and the Boilermaker face another in-state foe on Thursday, September 2, when travel to Notre Dame. Kickoff in South Bend, Indiana is at 7 p.m. ET. Purdue then returns home to host Saint Louis on Sunday, September 5, at 1 p.m. at Folk Field.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers at @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Griffith earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week accolades after she scored a hat trick in Sunday's win over Ball State. Kevdzija was named the Defensive Player of the Week after she netted the game-winning goal while helping Purdue shut out Gonzaga on Thursday. The honors are the first of the season for the Boilermakers.
The Big Ten Player of the Week distinction is the fourth of Kevdzija's young career. Last season, she was recognized with Freshman of the Week honors twice and Offensive Player of the Week accolades once. Griffith is named the league's Player of the Week for the first time in her career.
Griffith became the sixth player in program history to score a hat trick on August 29, as she led Purdue to a 5-1 win over Ball State at Folk Field. The first three-goal match by a Boilermaker since 2017, Griffith scored in the seventh, 51st and 59th minutes. She had a match-high six shots and five shots on goal in the contest.
The Naperville, Illinois, native has four goals in four matches this season and 13 in her career. Sunday's hat trick performance came 10 days after her goal on August 19 to open the season was featured as the No. 5 play on Sports Center's Top-10 Plays on ESPN.
An #SCTop10 play last week and a hat trick today. It's Sarah Griffith's world, we're just lucky enough to live in it. 🎩🎩🎩#BoilerUp 🚂⚽️ pic.twitter.com/BqVphNmDQy
— Purdue Soccer (@PurdueSoccer) August 29, 2021
Kevdzija scored her first goal of the season, the match-winner, in the 69th minute on August 26 in a 1-0 win against Gonzaga She also helped the Boilermakers earn their first clean sheet while shutting out a Bulldog team that had scored seven goals in their opening two matches. Three days later, Kevdzija added an assist against Ball State on Purdue's final goal. She and the Boilermaker defense handed both Gonzaga and Ball State their first defeats of the year.
In her 16-match career, the Strongsville, Ohio, native has four career goals, three of them game-winners. Kevdzija has two career assists.
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Up next, Griffith, Kevdzija and the Boilermaker face another in-state foe on Thursday, September 2, when travel to Notre Dame. Kickoff in South Bend, Indiana is at 7 p.m. ET. Purdue then returns home to host Saint Louis on Sunday, September 5, at 1 p.m. at Folk Field.
For more on the Purdue soccer team, visit PurdueSports.com/Soccer and follow and connect with the Boilermakers at @PurdueSoccer on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.