Katie Oakley Named Sun Belt Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
9/6/2022 3:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
True freshman goalkeeper notched her first collegiate shutout with seven saves at Northern Arizona
STATESBORO - Georgia Southern freshman goalkeeper Katie Oakley has been named the Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, announced today by league officials.
Oakley notched seven saves in recording a shutout in the Eagles' 0-0 draw at Northern Arizona on Thursday. It was the first collegiate shutout for the Covington, Ga., native and it came in front of a crowd of 700+ in Flagstaff, Ariz., Georgia Southern's first trip to Arizona in program history. Oakley made four first-half saves, then preserved the shutout in the second half with back-to-back point-blank saves on NAU's Josie Novak in the 53rd minute to extend the Eagles' current unbeaten streak to three matches.
This is the first weekly honor for the Eagles this season and the first for the true freshman Oakley. She is the third goalkeeper to earn Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Week honors since the Eagles began Sun Belt play in 2014, joining Michaela English (Oct. 12, 2021) and Jocelyn Springer (Sept. 18, 2018).
Oakley and the Eagles return to action on Thursday, traveling to Jacksonville, Fla,, for a 7:30 p.m. contest at Jacksonville University.
