Pleasant Valley graduate Samantha Merklin recently earned her first PSAC Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Week this season.

The former Bear and Bloomsburg University senior collected the award four times last year.

Merklin, the Huskies goalkeeper on the women’s soccer team, earned shutouts in both games — wins over Queens (1-0) and West Virginia State (4-0). Merklin recorded 12 saves over the first week of action, including nine stops against a West Virginia State team receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches National Poll.

The Effort native moved into 10th place in program history with 11 shutouts in just her 21st game with the Huskies, and reached 100 career saves with Bloomsburg in the contest against the Yellow Jackets.