Schriver has anchored Penn State's defense, which is at the top of nearly every Big Ten defensive category. The senior back won the award after helping Penn State win its record 16th game in a row and its fourth Big Ten Championship.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. October 22, 2005 - Senior back Molly Schriver (Kenilworth, Ill.) was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the Conference announced on Monday. Schriver earned the award after anchoring a stellar Penn State defense that recorded two shutouts vs. Bucknell and No. 9 Ohio State, helping the team extend its record-setting 16-game win streak and clinch a share of the Big Ten title. This is the second award for Schriver, who also snagged a weekly honor last season.

On Tuesday vs. the Bison, Schriver helped hold Bucknell to just four shots in the contest as No. 7 Penn State cruised to a 6-0 victory, in the process tying the program record for consecutive single-season wins, with 15. Saturday vs. the No. 9 Buckeyes, Schriver held Lucy Clayton, the Big Ten's most prolific scorer, to just two shots. Ohio State as a team, which came into the game as one of the Big Ten's top offensive teams, managed just seven shots in the contest. The win gave Penn State 16 straight victories, breaking the program's single-season consecutive wins mark. In addition the win, combined with Indiana's loss, clinched the team's fourth Big Ten Championship.

The two shutouts bring Penn State's team total to nine, which is the Lions' highest total since 2000. Penn State's defense is ranked at the top of the Big Ten in nearly every defensive category, including goals against average (0.75), goals allowed (12) and goals allowed per game (0.71). Penn State is the only school in the conference to allow an average of less than one goal per game.

Right behind Penn State in the top categories is No. 7 Indiana. The two teams clash on Friday in a game with major implications. If Penn State wins, the Lions will secure the title outright, along with a No. 1 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament. Should Indiana come out on top, the teams will share the title, but the Hoosiers would own the head-to-head tiebreaker, and take the No. 1 seed in the tournament, which will be held Nov. 4-6 at Iowa. Before heading to Iowa City, however, Penn State will face No. 4 North Carolina in the regular season finale Oct. 30 in Chapel Hill.

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