Oct. 17, 2011

PARK RIDGE, Ill. - University of Illinois soccer junior goalkeeper Steph Panozzo received her first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award, the conference announced on Monday. Panozzo stopped seven shots combined against the Gophers and Badgers to register the third and fourth straight 1-0 victories for the Illini, a program record for consecutive 1-0 shutout wins.

Panozzo, who is in her first season as Illinois' starter in goal, has stepped up her play in net since Illinois began conference action, helping to account for the Orange and Blue's second place standing in the Big Ten entering the final two weeks of the season. Panozzo currently owns the most in-conference shutouts among Big Ten goalies, with four, and has the second-lowest goals-against average during conference-only matches, with 0.71 tallies allowed per game. Senior defender Jenna Carosio was the most recent Illini to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, earning the honor on Monday, Oct. 10, 2011.

Illinois travels to Northwestern and Nebraska for its final road trip of the regular season, taking on the Wildcats at 7 p.m. CT on Thursday, Oct. 20 and the Cornhuskers on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 1 p.m. CT. The Orange and Blue then return home for Senior Night against Michigan at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29. Admission and parking are free at Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium throughout the 2011 season.