SOMERSET, N.J. -- Freshman goalkeeper Malene Nielsen took home all three weekly awards from the NEC, as she earned Player of the Week, Defensive Player of the Week, and Rookie of the Week honors, as announced by the conference's office on Wednesday afternoon.
On Friday afternoon against Seton Hall, Nielsen earned the win and the clean sheet in the 1-0 double overtime victory over the Pirates. Her seven saves, including a vital stop late in the first half to keep the match level at zero, helped keep the Knights on equal footing until the late-winner from fellow freshman Aitana Martínez-Montoya gave the Knights the 1-0 victory over their Big East foe.
On Sunday evening, playing on short rest, Nielsen continued to help anchor the FDU defense and kept yet another clean sheet in a match that went into double overtime, her second of the week and third on the year. She made five saves in the match and kept Loyola Maryland scoreless, as the Knights fought them to a 0-0 draw. The clean sheet meant that Nielsen had kept FDU opponents scoreless for 217 cumulative minutes over the week.
In addition to the weekly accolades, Nielsen is the NEC's leader in saves made with 32, while also possessing a 76.2% save percentage and a goals against average of 1.51. She is just one of two Knights to have played in every minute of the season, joining fellow freshman Leighann Kafel.
The Rookie of the Week honor is Nielsen's second in the first three weeks of the season, and she is the first player since Knights alum Sofia Albertsson, who did so in September 2017, to win the honor in back-to-back weeks.
On the big week for his freshman netminder, head coach Eric Teepe said, "Malene has really stepped into our team and become a leader right away on the field. As our games have progressed, she has done well in not only her positional play but helping position those around her. It was a great two games for her and a solid stretch of games as a whole."
Nielsen and the Knights are back in action on Thursday, September 9, at University Stadium in Teaneck, as they battle Stony Brook at 5 p.m. The Knights also host Columbia on Sunday, September 12, at 1 p.m. this weekend.
