Chelsea Armstrong is the first Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week of the new season.

Armstrong, Carpenter Garner Conference Player of the Week Accolades

8/30/2011 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Aug. 30, 2011

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Fresh off back-to-back 4-0 victories to open the season, Northwestern saw junior Chelsea Armstrong earn recognition as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, while goalkeeper Maddy Carpenter was named the Co-Freshman of the Week in the conference.

Armstrong picked up in 2011 where she left off last season, scoring five goals and adding an assist to lead NU to a pair of 4-0 road victories against two highly regarded MAC opponents. In the opener against Kent State, Armstrong needed just over two minutes to score her first of the season and had already completed her hat trick with just 12 minutes gone by in the game. Two days later, she scored the first two Wildcat goals to give her team a comfortable lead in what proved to be a second straight 4-0 win. Armstrong's prolific weekend moved her into third place on NU's all-time lists for both goals scored (51) and points (123).

Armstrong was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week four times in 2010 en route to being named the league's top offensive player for the season.

Carpenter posted seven saves and a shutout in her first collegiate game on the road Friday against defending MAC champion Kent State. Carpenter anchored a defense that withstood 11 Kent State penalty corners and 15 total shots to help NU record a shutout victory in a season-opener for the first time since 1996.

She shares this week's rookie honor with Penn State's Jenna Crismer.

The unbeaten Wildcats are preparing for this weekend's home-opening series against VCU and Albany. Play gets underway at Lakeside Field at 2 p.m. Friday, with free admission and parking for all fans.

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