When Matt Bersano made the decision to go cross-country and transfer to Penn State from Oregon State, he was immediately hyped as the man to replace departed star goalkeeper Andrew Wolverton. Hyped as he was, nobody saw this run of form coming.

After capturing his first career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honor when he recorded a three-save shutout of San Francisco followed by a six-save effort against Navy, Bersano is back on top of the Big Ten with yet another Defensive Player of the Week distinction after an impressive seven-save effort on Sept. 20 during a 1-1 draw on the road against Ohio State — a game in which he allowed his first goal in 195 minutes of action.

The redshirt senior has a knack for flying around the back line, making tough saves look easy as he sprawls and dives near the net. Bersano is directly responsible for keeping the Nittany Lions in games, keeping opponents off the board and providing a defensive cushion for the Nittany Lion attack to feed off of.

Bersano ranks among the Big Ten elite in regards to saves, ranking second, while recording an average of 4.33 saves per game with three shutouts to boot in 2015 thus far. Bersano is accustomed to facing a barrage of shots — he faced eight against the Buckeyes — and provides an important leadership element as the anchor of Penn State’s defensive unit.

Bersano and the Nittany Lions are set to take on Penn in Philadelphia on Sept. 23, where Penn State will count on the veteran goalkeeper to continue his run of good form and help the Lions secure a victory on the road.