Brooklyn, N.Y. - Freshman Jessica Sexton of the Long Island University women's soccer team was named the adidas/Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Week and adidas/NEC Rookie of the Week it was announced on Monday. The awards were the first of the season for Sexton after she helped LIU remain unbeaten in conference play with a pair of victories last weekend.

Sexton registered a pair of shutouts for the Blackbirds last weekend against league rivals Sacred Heart and Fairleigh Dickinson. The freshman frustrated the Pioneers offense by notching six saves in a 1-0 victory on Friday, Oct. 8. She preserved the shutout by stopping a one-on-one shot fired by Pioneer Leigh Dogmantis with 1:22 left in the game. Sexton continued her streak in net during a 1-0 overtime blanking of Fairleigh Dickinson on Sunday, Oct. 10. The keeper made five of her six saves on the day in the second half and in overtime. 

Sexton leads the NCAA in goals against average (0.10) and save percentage (.974) and has four straight shutouts to bolster her season total of six. She has allowed just one goal in 11 appearances and has not allowed a goal in nearly 500 minutes of action spanning six appearances.

The Blackbirds, who have gone unbeaten in the last 11 games, host Columbia on Tuesday, Oct. 12, at 6:00 p.m. on LIU Field.