Goalkeeper Liebetrau Tabbed Player of the Week

Sept. 14, 2010

IRVING, Texas – Kansas goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, Tuesday afternoon, as announced by the conference offices.

The redshirt-sophomore out of Centennial, Colo., (Arapahoe High School), was dominant between the pipes over the weekend in Las Vegas, allowing just one goal and collecting 17 saves in two games against Cal State Northridge and Oregon in UNLV’s Rebel Classic.

In one of her finest games of the season, Liebetrau helped KU shut out Oregon, Sunday afternoon at UNLV’s Peter Johann Memorial Stadium. The Ducks were able to get 25 shots off but Liebetrau made 11 saves, including a diving stop in the goal in the final minute of the game that effectively sealed KU’s 1-0 win.

In the tournament’s opening match, Liebetrau held CS Northridge scoreless for more than 100 minutes before allowing her only goal of the weekend in the second overtime period. The keeper, who has started and played in all six of KU’s games this season, made six saves while facing 18 shots from the Matadors.

Liebetrau faced a total of 43 shots in Las Vegas, registering a .944 save percentage and a 0.47 goals against average mark. Sunday’s shutout was her second of 2010 and the fifth of her career.

Liebetrau has been enjoying a solid season for KU. Back on Aug. 29, she recorded a career-high 17 saves on the road against Georgia, just one shy of matching the school record set by Betsy Pollard in 1999. The 17 stops was the fourth-most registered in Division I this season.

With 40 saves collected in just six games this season, Liebetrau leads the Big 12 and is seven away from eclipsing her 2009 total. Liebetrau is averaging the second-most saves per game in the Big 12 (6.67) and her .816 save percentage is seventh.

This is the second weekly award of her career, as she was previously named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week, Sept. 1, of last season.