ROCHESTER, N.Y. (October 23, 2013) – Senior back Grace Ridge (Moorestown, N.J.) of the Stevens Institute of Technology field hockey team was named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week, it was announced Monday night by the Empire 8 conference office.

Ridge helped Stevens to a 2-1 week, netting a pair of tallies and helping the Ducks clinch the Empire 8's regular-season title, securing the chance to host the conference tournament November 9 and 10 at the De Baun Athletic Complex in Hoboken.

After a tough loss to Rowan University, Ridge helped the Ducks to a pair of wins over the weekend as they outscored Houghton College and Nazareth College by a combined score of 10-3.  Ridge was a key member of the defense throughout the weekend, but also chipped in offensively recording four points to bring her total to 15 for the year behind seven goals and one assist.

In the Houghton win, Ridge scored via a penalty-corner-insert from senior forward Marguerite Chavez (Oceanport, N.J.) which put the Ducks up 4-0. Against Naz, the pair hooked up again, this time recording the game-winner midway through the second half.

Stevens, which visits William Paterson University in a non-conference tilt Wednesday night at 7 p.m., is among the national stat leaders in a variety of areas according to the latest statistical release from the NCAA.

As a team, the Ducks rank third nationally in penalty corners per game (15.4), and are 21st in assists per game (2.47). The Ducks (10-5 overall, 6-0 Empire 8) are 28th in points per game (9.4), 33rd in goals per game (3.47), 34th in scoring average (3.37), and 40th in winning percentage (.667).

Individually, Chavez is 17th in the nation in points per game, averaging 2.8 and is sixth-best averaging .93 assists per outing. Her .93 goals per game is 37th, and senior back Megan Traub's .53 assists per game is 61st in the country.

Live stats for Wednesday's game vs. William Paterson University can be accessed via www.StevensDucks.com. Stevens will return home Saturday when it battles Elmira College at the De Baun Athletic Complex at 12 p.m. in the team's final regular-season conference game of the year.