SAN FRANCISCO – For the second time in her inaugural season freshman
Nadia Cooper was named the Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week as announced by the conference office Monday afternoon. The weekly award was the fourth of the year for the Cougs overall and the second for Cooper who took home the award Oct. 4.
Facing off against two of the top offensive units in the country, Cooper shined once again as the first-year netminder conceded just one goal on the weekend in 220 minutes of action. Opening the week against the conference's top team, Cooper stymied the Trojan's seventh-ranked attack to pick up her sixth shutout of the season and earn a hard-fought draw for the Cougs. The shutout was just the second time all season the Trojans had been held scoreless and snapped an 11-match winning streak for USC. Three days later she was once again up to the task as the young keeper held the high-powered Bruins to a single goal while again playing 110 minutes en route to a second-straight draw against the top-10 opponent.
In all, Cooper was forced to make five saves in each of the contests, coming up with a handful of big time match-saving plays. None may have been bigger than her save in the 108' against the Bruins as she came off her line to stuff a breakaway that would have won the match for UCLA.
On the year, Cooper leads the nation in goals against (4) and goals against average (0.36). She along with the rest of her defensive mates have posted 11 cleansheets, the second-most shutouts in program history.
The Cougs hit the road to take on Oregon, Thursday, Oct. 28, as WSU continues its march towards the postseason. The match at Eugene is scheduled for a 7 p.m. kick on the Pac-12 Network.
