KANSAS CITY, Mo. - For a sixth time this season, at least one Missouri Western soccer player has received a weekly accolade from the MIAA. For a third time this season, two Griffon soccer players got an Athlete of the Week honor on the same day.

Lauren Nylund is Defender of the Week for a remarkable fourth time this season, while Keeley Kroonenberg got GoalKeeper of the Week for the second time in 2024.

Nylund helped anchor the Missouri Western defense that collected a pair of shutouts, extending the season shutout streak to eight matches.

In each of the 1-0 wins against both Pittsburg State and Missouri Southern, Nylund and the Griffon defense held the Gorillas to just three total shots and the Lions to just seven. Nylund played the entire 180 minutes on the defensive side of the pitch. She also added a shot that deflected off the crossbar against the Lions. This is the sixth overall Defender of the Week honor for the Griffons this season.
 
Kroonenberg, meanwhile, improved her season record to 12-0-2 last week. Kroonenberg collected her sixth straight and seventh total shutout of the year in the 1-0 win against Pittsburg State. Kroonenberg then combined for a shutout on Senior Day win the 1-0 win against Missouri Southern. She finished the two matches with three combined saves.

No. 15 Missouri Western soccer (14-0-2, 9-0-1) is on the road this week to round out the regular season, playing at Emporia State on Friday at 2 p.m. and then a big showdown at No. 20 Washburn on Sunday at 1 p.m.

A win at Emporia Friday would clinch at least a share of the MIAA regular season title for the Griffons. An Emporia win and a tie at Washburn would seal it outright.