Sept. 11, 2006

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - With a current scoreless goalkeeping streak of nearly 400 minutes, junior goalkeeper Jillian Loyden (Vineland, N.J.) has been named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week, the conference announced this afternoon. It is the second straight week and fifth time in her career that Loyden has received this honor. Sophomore defender Laura Sylvester (Broomall, Pa.) also was honored by the conference, being named to the weekly honor roll.

The current week's honor covers games played between September 4-10, during which the Wildcats posted shutout victories over Butler and LSU at the Navy Classic. In doing so Villanova matched the best start in school history (7-0) and posted its sixth shutout in seven games on the season.

Loyden, the 2005 BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, has been a steady presence in goal for the Wildcats. She had two saves in a 3-0 win over Butler on Friday and then played an outstanding overall game in Sunday's 1-0 double overtime win against the Tigers. Despite not making any saves against LSU, Loyden was an integral part of the team's defense in a hard-fought win.

"Jillian is an exceptional leader and that is what makes the difference," head coach Ann Clifton said. "She is an extension of the coaching staff out on the field. She sees things very well and in terms of what we are trying to accomplish, she just gets it. Jillian commands excellence from everyone around her because that is what she expects of herself. It is as if she has a greater calling to be as good as she can possibly be. Her play this season is an extension of that determination."

Over the last four-plus games Loyden has played 376:30 without surrendering a goal. It is the second-longest scoreless streak of her career and she needs to play just 43:42 more to match her longest streak. To this point in the season, Loyden owns a miniscule 0.15 goals-against average and .963 save percentage. In fact, she has scored as many points this season (one assist) as she has allowed goals.

Villanova has won seven straight games for just the second time ever, matching the seven-game winning streak that the 2003 team had to start the season. Loyden currently leads the BIG EAST in save percentage and goals-against average and is tied for first in solo shutouts (3).

Sylvester was a key component of the two shutouts at the Navy Classic. Against LSU, she single-handedly cleared several balls out of Villanova territory in dangerous attack situations. With Sylvester moving to the central back position, the Wildcats have outscored their opponents 17-1 this season and allowed an average of just 4.1 shots on goal per game. In the two wins last week, Villanova permitted just two shots on goal over the two games.

"Laura proved against LSU that she can play with any central back in the country," Clifton said. "I am ecstatic for her to be recognized by the conference. We have a long legacy of outstanding central defenders at Villanova. Laura's work in the spring and summer is paying off now and she is showing her commitment to becoming a part of that legacy."

The Wildcats one game this week will be a critical one, as Villanova opens the BIG EAST regular season schedule by hosting Georgetown on Friday at 4 p.m.

NOTES: This week marks the third straight to start the season in which the Wildcats have had two players honored by the conference. Loyden was named to the honor roll for the first week of the season and was last week's Goalkeeper of the Week. In addition, junior defender Kayce Blandford (Columbia, Md.) was the Defensive Player of the Week for the first week of the season and junior forward Nikki Mabery (Phoenix, Ariz.) was selected to the honor roll last week.