SAN DIEGO – San Diego State women’s soccer goalkeeper Kailey Carlen was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced Tuesday morning.
Carlen recorded her eighth career shutout in just 21 total matches as SDSU (1-0) coasted to a 2-0 victory in La Jolla against UC San Diego. The Aztecs are the last remaining team in the Pac-12 that has yet to allow a goal this season.
The keeper made a diving stop to save a shot by Olivia Schiel at the 42-minute mark in the match to preserve a 1-0 lead. She saved a shot by Ava Tibor in the 54th minute, just 78 seconds before Victoria Miller’s goal to make it 2-0. Carlen made her third save shortly afterwards, in the 56th minute before one last stop late in the 88th minute to preserve the shutout.
Carlen becomes the first San Diego State athlete to win a weekly award from the Pac-12 since the Aztecs joined the conference. She was one of four Aztecs to win a weekly award from their conference last season. She was named Freshman of the Week on September 22, alongside Grace Goins, who was Defensive Player of the Week. Victoria Miller garnered Offensive Player of the Week accolades on September 15, and Alexis Leath earned Offensive Player and Co-Freshman of the Week on November 1.
The Aztecs will play at home for the first time this regular season when they host No. 10 Washington at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night. SDSU will remain on the SDSU Sports Deck this weekend for a match against Portland State at 3 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. Admission to both matches is free and both will be broadcast on the Pac-12 YouTube page.