Women's Soccer | 11/4/2024 2:31:00 PM

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. - After aiding her team to a pair of critical conference results with 21 saves in two matches, junior Samantha Merklin (Effort, Pa./Pleasant Valley) is again Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Week, as announced by the conference office Monday afternoon.

Merklin's shot-stopping displays have been vital for Bloomsburg women's soccer's cause all season, but maybe none more than her two performances last week. The junior began on Wednesday with nine stops against a Kutztown squad receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches national poll. After giving up an early goal, Merklin kept her wits about her and made several stops to help her team to a 1-1 draw on the road against the Golden Bears.

After a 3-0 defeat earlier in the season to West Chester, Merklin and the Huskies avenged the defeat with a 1-0 victory over the Golden Rams. The win was the first for the program over West Chester since 2021. Merklin again heavily factored into the result, recording a season-high 12 saves against the Golden Rams, including eight stops in the first half. Merklin and the Huskies additionally kept PSAC-leading goalscorer Allyson Cutter out of the back of the net.

With four critical points secured from the two games, Bloomsburg enters the final week of the regular season in contention for a PSAC Tournament place. With nine and 12 saves, respectively, Merklin has four games this season with at least nine saves and notched eight shutouts.

The Huskies wrap up the regular season with their final two conference games of the season. Bloomsburg hosts Lock Haven in its home finale on Wednesday, November 6, before its final game of the initial 18 at Shippensburg on Saturday, November 9. To keep up with the Bloomsburg women's soccer program and the rest of Bloomsburg Athletics, follow along online at buhuskies.com or on social media on X(formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.