Oct. 2, 2006

PARK RIDGE, Ill. - Junior forward Ella Masar earned her first career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor Monday after notching a career game in No. 15 Illinois' 3-2 victory over then-No. 9 Penn State on Sunday. The junior scored two goals, including the game-winner, within a 25-minute span.

The contest marked Masar's first two-goal game at Illinois and her third career game-winning goal. The Urbana, Ill., native helped spark the Illini's comeback from a 2-0 deficit when she tied the game at 59:47. She went on to net the go-ahead goal at 83:51 to give Illinois just its second win over Penn State in school history and hand the Nittany Lions their first Big Ten loss since 2003.

Masar and the Illini (7-4-0 overall, 3-0-0 in the Big Ten) continue a three-match homestand when they host Minnesota at 7 p.m. Friday. Illinois then faces Ohio State Sunday at noon at Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium.