Maryland's Zack Steffen named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week

For the first time since Mikias Eticha won Offensive Player of the Week in the first week of the season, a Maryland men's soccer player has won a Big Ten Player of the Week honor. This week's honoree is sophomore goalkeeper Zack Steffen who picked up consecutive shutouts.

Steffen it back in their faces

Maryland's sophomore goalkeeper became the first Maryland men's soccer player to win the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week Award. Steffen picked up back to back shutouts for the second time in 2014 while registering his fourth and fifth shutouts of the season.

In a game where Maryland needed a shutout, Steffen picked up two saves against Virginia Commonwealth. His effort, along with that of the Terrapins' defense made the single goal scored on Mael Corboz's penalty kick in the 16th minute stand up in the 1-0 win. It was a result much needed by Maryland who was coming off back to back losses against Georgetown and at Northwestern.

In helping the Terps extend their winning streak to two, the sophomore from Downingtown, PA added three more saves against the Nittany Lions. One of those was a highlight reel punch out of a Penn State header attempt on a corner kick late in the second half of Maryland's win. Steffen who has yet to miss a minute in goal in his Terrapins career, lowered his goals against average to 0.88 for the current season.

Maryland will host the Lehigh Mountain Hawks Wednesday night before tackling the Indiana Hoosiers in College Park Sunday afternoon in another important Big Ten contest.