Courtesy of LA Tech Athletic Communications
Freshman goalkeeper Mackenzie Lorkwoski has been named the Sun Belt’s Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Tuesday afternoon.
Native of Elgin, Illinois, Lorkowski saw a perfect 2-0 week in front of the net, including the first clean sheet of her career with a 1-0 win at Houston Christian. She registered a career-high 12 saves in the win against the Huskies before adding nine in a 3-1 win at Stephen F. Austin-the program’s first-ever win over the Ladyjacks when playing in Nacogdoches.
Lorkowski leads all Sun Belt keepers as well as all Division I freshman goalies with 41 saves, which is also the second-most overall across all D1 keepers. She also leads the country with a saves per game rate of 10.25.
“Any time a player wins a weekly award, it’s great for the team and program,” head coach Matt Lodge said about Lorkowski’s performance. “I’m very proud of Kenz-she has absolutely earned this, and she is just getting started. She has been on campus for a month or so, and she has quickly made herself feel at home. She has an incredible work rate and holds herself to a high standard.”
She has already made her impact on the record book with her 12 saves at HCU tied for the third-most by a freshman keeper, and her 11 saves in her collegiate debut against Nicholls are tied for the fifth-most by a freshman in program history. Her 32 saves through her first three starts are also the most by any LA Tech keeper through the first three starts of their career.
“I think credit has to also go to Coach Stephanie Starr and the keeper group,” said Lodge. “They push each other every day, support each other, and Coach Starr has really helped the growth of that group.”
Lorkowski and the Bulldogs return to action when they host the McNeese Cowgirls at Robert Mack Caruthers Field on Thursday, September 3 at 7 p.m. CT. Thursday’s match will be streamed on ESPN+.
