OGDEN, Utah -- After scoring her first career goal this past weekend, sophomore Diane Buzzard was honored by the Big Sky Conference office as the conference's Defensive Player of the Week for matches played from September 10-16. The award is Buzzard's first of her career as well as the first for the Lumberjacks this season.
Buzzard helped NAU to a 1-0-1 weekend in the NAU-hosted Hilton Garden Inn High Altitude Tournament. On the tournament's first day, the Lumberjacks squared off against Florida Gulf Coast, who entered the game on a five-match unbeaten streak and ranked No. 10 in the NSCAA Southeast Region poll. After the Eagles took an early 1-0 lead, Buzzard struck for the equalizer in the 20th minute on a shot from 30 yards out, up and over the Florida Gulf Coast goalkeeper. The Flagstaff native's first career goal, coming in front of her hometown fans, gave the Lumberjacks a 1-1 tie.
hometown supporters.
After her offensive performance on Friday, she was an integral part in helping NAU shut out San Jose State, 1-0, on Sunday for the Lumberjacks' second win of the season. She helped the Lumberjacks limit Florida Gulf Coast and San Jose State to a combined 19 shots and just one goal while playing all 200 minutes over the weekend in the backline. NAU had entered weekend play allowing nearly 21 shots per game to its opponents.
NAU is back in action at Lumberjack Stadium this Friday for their conference opener against Southern Utah at 7 p.m.
