After recording her fourth straight shutout in a 1-0 victory over the University of New Hampshire in the regular season finale, field hockey goalie Diana Nelson has been named The Northeastern News Player of the Week.
The junior, who was also named America East Player of the Week, was the last line of defense in a team that has given up only two goals in the last seven games, moving the Huskies into ninth place in the country in defensive scoring with a 1.23 goals against average.
“It’s [Nelson’s] first year and she’s really stepped it up, she’s a great communicator back there,” said senior captain Melissa Rowell, who leads the defensive unit. “I have 100 percent confidence with her behind me.”
“She made some key saves against BU and UNH,” said coach Cheryl Murtagh. “When you know you have a good goalie behind you, it lets you play up a bit more and take some chances.”
Nelson is an important cog in the defensive machine that has dominated its America East opponents, allowing zero goals while running up a league-winning record of 6-0.
Rowell leads the back corps of Megan Troxel, Alli Bolster and Lauren Edelmeier. Fellow captain Leigh Shea also helps out from her position at center midfield.
“I think our defense is doing excellent,” said Nelson. “We’ve come together as a team and shutdown every America East team. Everyone wanted to three-peat, and we went out and did it.”
Nelson was a game-saver in both of NU’s overtime contests, a 3-2 win at Boston College and a 1-0 win at home against Boston University.
She made seven saves against BC and four against BU, several of which were of highlight-reel quality, including a leaping blocker save of a ball heading towards the roof of the goal at Alumni Stadium and a stab of a deflected corner shot at Sweeney Field.
Nelson entered the season with big shoes to fill after the graduation of Emily Roy, who posted the third best season in Husky history with a 0.71 goals against average.
Thus far she has held her own, finishing the regular season with just one fewer shutout than her predecessor.
Nelson hit the ground running when she saw her first collegiate action, posting a shutout in her first start as a sophomore against BC which was ranked 13th in the nation at the time. She recorded eight saves in the game, a mark she would not equal until stopping nine this year versus Connecticut, the nation’s No. 13 team.
– Peter Conroy
