ST. LOUIS - Illinois State junior midfielder Mary Sahm was named the Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week following her two-goal performance that lifted the Redbirds to a 2-1 double-overtime victory against Indiana State in the opening round of the State Farm MVC Tournament.
"Mary played a great game for us on Sunday," head coach Drew Roff said. "Obviously the two goals were huge, but she also did a great job of winning balls in the air in the middle of the field and linking up with our forwards. She was a huge factor in us to be able to put pressure on them [Indiana State] late in the game."
Sahm, who has provided quality minutes for ISU off the bench this season, netted her first two goals of the year in Sunday's win over the Sycamores. After Indiana State took a 1-0 lead in the second half, the Indianapolis, Ind., native headed in a free kick service from sophomore Kristin Cooley to tie the score less than two minutes later. Sahm scored the game-winner in the 107th minute after collecting a loose ball at the top of the box and firing a low, hard shot inside the right post to send Illinois State to Omaha, Neb., for the semifinals of the State Farm MVC Tournament.
"We felt like we could be dangerous on free kicks against Indiana State and on her first goal, Mary went up, won the ball and scored a great goal," Roff said. "On her second goal, the ball kind of bounced to her and she stepped up, caught it right before it hit the ground and put it right where it needed to be. We talk a lot about players stepping up and making plays, especially around this time of year, and I am really happy for her and very pleased that she came up with a big game when we needed it."
Monday's MVC Player of the Week honor was the first-career league award for Sahm.
"She has definitely earned more time off the bench with her performance," Roff added. "She is a player that worked hard in the off-season to get herself prepared for this season and has given us quality minutes. Mary has been a valuable player for us off the bench and she is capable of finishing opportunities. Even if you take yesterday's goals away, she played a great game and gave us the spark that we needed."
Evansville goalkeeper Chaviel Harrison was named the league's defensive player of the week after making eight saves and recording her second shutout of the season in the Purple Ace's 1-0 win over Drake.
Illinois State will travel to Omaha, Neb., for Friday's 3:30 p.m. game against Missouri State in the semifinal round of the State Farm MVC Tournament. The Redbirds and Bears battled to a scoreless tie in their regular-season meeting Oct. 10 at Adelaide Street Field.
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