Leading the Illinois State soccer team to two conference wins over the weekend, sophomore
Diana Puckett and junior Melissa Colthrust
Melissa Colthrust have been named Missouri Valley Conference Players of the Week.
Puckett scored her fifth goal of the season in the first half of the double overtime win against Evansville on Sunday. Puckett, a native of Park Ridge, Ill., received an Annie Wayland pass in the open field and sent the ball to the upper left corner of the net over the Evansville goalkeeper.
Eight minutes into the second overtime, Pucketts cross pass was deflected into the goal by an Evansville defender, winning the game and sealing the regular season championship for the Redbirds.
Colthrust earned Valley Defensive Player of the Week after leading a Redbird defense that shutout Indiana State on Friday and held Evansville to one goal on Sunday.
The junior from Mississagua, Ontario, Canada, and her teammates limited Indiana State to three shots while Evansville fired seven shots. This season, Colthrust and the Redbird defense have shut down opposing offenses, allowing an average of 6.7 shots per game and 10 goals the entire season.
The Missouri Valley Conference champion Redbirds (11-3) return to action Friday afternoon at Adelaide Street Field when they host No. 23 Oakland (13-2) at 3 p.m.
