Badgers Sweep Big Ten Weekly Honors
October 31, 2006 | Women's Soccer
The Wisconsin women's soccer team swept Big Ten player of the week honors, the conference office announced. Senior Allison Preiss collected offensive player of the week accolades while classmate Stefani Szczechowski was named defensive player of the week.
The honors are the first this season for any member of the women's soccer team. In addition, it is the first career award for both Preiss and Szczechowski.
The duo helped Wisconsin to a 5-0 win over Northwestern Friday in the regular season finale. After the team heard that Michigan State had upended Michigan earlier in the day, the Badgers needed a win to continue the season. On senior day, Wisconsin scored five times and also posted its fifth shut out on the year to earn a trip to the Big Ten tournament.
Preiss, a St. Louis native, led the offensive charge for the Badgers against Northwestern, scoring twice and also picking up an assist. She is the first offensive player of the week award winner for Wisconsin since Amy Vermeulen on Sept. 13, 2004.
Szczechowski made her final start at home a memorable one, stifling the Northwestern offense to keep Wisconsin's postseason hopes alive. The Plymouth, Mich., native earned her second shutout of the year and made two saves to secure Wisconsin's No. 7 seed in the 2006 Big Ten Tournament. Sczcechowski becomes the first Badger to earn defensive laurels since Lynn Murray on Oct. 31, 2005.
Wisconsin (7-8-3, 4-5-1 Big Ten) will battle two-seed Illinois at 12:30 p.m. Thursday in the Big Ten tournament, which is being held in University Park, Pa.
