Senior goalkeeper Kaylin Lorbert is the recipient of the Top Cat award for games played last weekend.

This is Lorbert’s first Top Cat award of her Panther career.

“It is a honor, and I’m glad to represent the team,” Lorbert said.

Lorbert was also named the Ohio Valley Conference Goalkeeper of the Week for the second time this season.

Lorbert has turned in seven shutouts so far in 2010. She has been a team leader and has played at a high level all season long.

Lorbert posted two shutouts against the top two teams in the Ohio Valley Conference over the weekend. Lorbert and her defensive core blanked Morehead State on Friday; Lorbert posted a total of five saves.

On Sunday, Lorbert also kept Eastern Kentucky off the scoreboard as she had a total of four saves. For the season opponents are averaging a total of 0.68 goals a game against Lorbert.

Lorbert has played at a very impressive level and will look to end her Panther career on a high note.

“I think I have played pretty well this season,” Lorbert said. “But, I’ve also had a lot of help from the defensive line. They have definitely made my job a lot easier and saved me a couple times.”

The Panthers rank among the best in goals allowed per game in the Ohio Valley Conference, and will need to continue the suffocating defense to earn a favorable match-up in the conference tournament.

The Panthers are 2-2-1 in the OVC and are tied for third place with Murray State and Austin Peay.

The Panthers have had multiple games that could have gone either way in conference play and in non-conference play this season.

“Overall, we come out and compete in every game. In some games we have just been unlucky, but it happens,” Lorbert said.

Lorbert and the Panthers have three games remaining in the regular season. With two of their final three games at home, Perala’s team has a good chance of obtaining a favorable match-up in the first round of the conference tournament.

“We would definitely end on a high note if we pulled out wins in our last three games,” Lorbert said. “It will be important going into the conference tournament with the confidence and the momentum.”

The Panthers will be back in action on Sunday when they battle against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles in their final road match of the season.

“We need to come out and compete so we can continue the intensity we brought last weekend,” Lorbert said.

The Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles are 0-3 in OVC games this season.

Jordan Pottorff can be reached at 581-7944 or at [email protected].