Northwestern University Athletics
Gilbert, Holmes Earn Weekly Big Ten Recognitions
3/16/2021 11:07:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
EVANSTON, Ill. — Senior Lauren Gilbert was named Big Ten Conference Offensive Player of the Week, while rookie Leah Holmes earned the Freshman of the Week award, the Conference office announced Tuesday. The duo each helped the Wildcats to a weekend sweep of No. 7 Penn State.
Offensive Player of the Week
Lauren Gilbert, Northwestern
Sr. – A – Lake Oswego, Ore. – Lake Oswego
· Scored a combined 13 goals in back-to-back games against No. 7 Penn State, helping the Wildcats improve to 5-0 on the season with 24-13 and 17-13 wins over the Nittany Lions. Added an assist on the week to total 14 points in two games, while also registering 10 draw controls and three ground balls.
· Recorded a combined shooting percentage of .722 in both contests, scoring on 13 of 18 shots.
· In Thursday's 24-13 win over Penn State, recorded a career-high seven goals and added an assist to tie a career-high with eight points. Also notched a team-best seven draw controls in the win.
· Registered a six-goal performance during Northwestern's 17-13 victory over Penn State on Saturday. Went 5-for-5 on free position shots in the game, while adding three draw controls.
· Currently ranks fourth in the country in goals per game (5.20), trailing only Stanford's Ali Baiocco (6.00), Hofstra's Alyssa Parrella (5.50) and Wildcat teammate Izzy Scane (5.40). Has helped Northwestern become the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation (19.80 gpg.)
· Garners her first career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor.
· Last Northwestern Offensive Player of the Week: Izzy Scane (March 2, 2021)
Midfielder of the Week
Olivia Dirks, Penn State
So. – M – Wayne, Pa. – The Episcopal Academy
Defensive Player of the Week
Lizzie Colson, Maryland
Sr. – D – Manchester, Md. – Manchester Valley
· Helped the Maryland defense hold Johns Hopkins to just eight goals in Sunday's 9-8 overtime win over the Blue Jays.
· Tallied a career-high five ground balls, while causing three turnovers and registering six draw controls. Helped Maryland to a 13-6 overall advantage in draw controls.
· Forced a turnover and scooped up the ground ball late in the second half with the game tied at 8-8.
· Her six draw controls in the game helped move her past Karri Ellen Johnson (254) into third place all-time in Maryland history for career draw controls (256).
· Garners her fifth career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award; also named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on May 2, 2017.
· Last Maryland Defensive Player of the Week: Maddy McSalley (March 10, 2020)
Freshman of the Week
Leah Holmes, Northwestern
A – Larchmont, N.Y. – Hackley School
· Registered four points (three goals and one assist) in Northwestern's two wins over No. 7 Penn State.
· Notched a career-high three points (two goals and one assist) in the Wildcats' 17-13 win on Saturday. Scored the first goal of the game for Northwestern off a feed from Erin Coykendall.
•Tallied an unassisted goal and dished out the first assist of her career in the second half of the win. Added a career-high three ground balls in the contest.
· Earns the first Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor of her career.
· Last Northwestern Freshman of the Week: Izzy Scane (April 23, 2019)
2021 Big Ten Women's Lacrosse Players of the Week
Feb. 16
O: Izzy Scane, Jr., NU
D: Taylor Suplee, Jr., PSU
F: Kristin O'Neill, PSU
Feb. 23
O: Olivia Dirks, So., PSU
O: Liza Hernandez, Gr., OSU
D: Taylor Suplee, Jr., PSU
F: Kristin O'Neill, PSU
March 2
O: Hannah Leubecker, So., MD
O: Izzy Scane, Jr., NU
D: Meghan Ball So., RU
F: None
March 9
O: Caitlin Muir, Sr., MICH
M: Molly Garrett, Gr., MICH
D: Kaitlyn Mead, Jr., MICH
F: Abbey Hurlbrink, JHU
March 16
O: Lauren Gilbert, Sr., NU
M: Olivia Dirks, So., PSU
D: Lizzie Colson, Sr., MD
F: Leah Holmes, NU
Offensive Player of the Week
Lauren Gilbert, Northwestern
Sr. – A – Lake Oswego, Ore. – Lake Oswego
· Scored a combined 13 goals in back-to-back games against No. 7 Penn State, helping the Wildcats improve to 5-0 on the season with 24-13 and 17-13 wins over the Nittany Lions. Added an assist on the week to total 14 points in two games, while also registering 10 draw controls and three ground balls.
· Recorded a combined shooting percentage of .722 in both contests, scoring on 13 of 18 shots.
· In Thursday's 24-13 win over Penn State, recorded a career-high seven goals and added an assist to tie a career-high with eight points. Also notched a team-best seven draw controls in the win.
· Registered a six-goal performance during Northwestern's 17-13 victory over Penn State on Saturday. Went 5-for-5 on free position shots in the game, while adding three draw controls.
· Currently ranks fourth in the country in goals per game (5.20), trailing only Stanford's Ali Baiocco (6.00), Hofstra's Alyssa Parrella (5.50) and Wildcat teammate Izzy Scane (5.40). Has helped Northwestern become the No. 1 scoring offense in the nation (19.80 gpg.)
· Garners her first career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor.
· Last Northwestern Offensive Player of the Week: Izzy Scane (March 2, 2021)
Midfielder of the Week
Olivia Dirks, Penn State
So. – M – Wayne, Pa. – The Episcopal Academy
- Notched one goal, one assist and 24 draw controls in Penn State's two contests against No. 3 Northwestern.
- Set a new career high and led both teams with 10 draw controls in the first game of the series. Also added an assist in the game.
- Topped the career high she set on Thursday, with 14 draw controls in Penn State's second contest of the series on Saturday. Added one goal and caused one turnover in the game.
- Ranks third in the country in draw controls per game (9.25) trailing only Sydney Watson of Connecticut (9.50) and Julianna Sanchez of Campbell (9.40). Has helped Northwestern rank first in the country in draw controls per game (18.60).
- Earns her first career Big Ten Midfielder of the Week honor.
- Becomes the first-ever Penn State Midfielder of the Week
Defensive Player of the Week
Lizzie Colson, Maryland
Sr. – D – Manchester, Md. – Manchester Valley
· Helped the Maryland defense hold Johns Hopkins to just eight goals in Sunday's 9-8 overtime win over the Blue Jays.
· Tallied a career-high five ground balls, while causing three turnovers and registering six draw controls. Helped Maryland to a 13-6 overall advantage in draw controls.
· Forced a turnover and scooped up the ground ball late in the second half with the game tied at 8-8.
· Her six draw controls in the game helped move her past Karri Ellen Johnson (254) into third place all-time in Maryland history for career draw controls (256).
· Garners her fifth career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award; also named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on May 2, 2017.
· Last Maryland Defensive Player of the Week: Maddy McSalley (March 10, 2020)
Freshman of the Week
Leah Holmes, Northwestern
A – Larchmont, N.Y. – Hackley School
· Registered four points (three goals and one assist) in Northwestern's two wins over No. 7 Penn State.
· Notched a career-high three points (two goals and one assist) in the Wildcats' 17-13 win on Saturday. Scored the first goal of the game for Northwestern off a feed from Erin Coykendall.
•Tallied an unassisted goal and dished out the first assist of her career in the second half of the win. Added a career-high three ground balls in the contest.
· Earns the first Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor of her career.
· Last Northwestern Freshman of the Week: Izzy Scane (April 23, 2019)
2021 Big Ten Women's Lacrosse Players of the Week
Feb. 16
O: Izzy Scane, Jr., NU
D: Taylor Suplee, Jr., PSU
F: Kristin O'Neill, PSU
Feb. 23
O: Olivia Dirks, So., PSU
O: Liza Hernandez, Gr., OSU
D: Taylor Suplee, Jr., PSU
F: Kristin O'Neill, PSU
March 2
O: Hannah Leubecker, So., MD
O: Izzy Scane, Jr., NU
D: Meghan Ball So., RU
F: None
March 9
O: Caitlin Muir, Sr., MICH
M: Molly Garrett, Gr., MICH
D: Kaitlyn Mead, Jr., MICH
F: Abbey Hurlbrink, JHU
March 16
O: Lauren Gilbert, Sr., NU
M: Olivia Dirks, So., PSU
D: Lizzie Colson, Sr., MD
F: Leah Holmes, NU
Players Mentioned
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