NORMAL, Ill. - Sophomore Kyla Cross was named SoccerSavings.com/Chicagoland Soccer News Player of the Week for her efforts in Illinois State's State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament title this weekend. Cross netted four goals in a pair of tournament games to earn MVC Tournament Most Valuable Player honors.
In Friday's 6-0 semifinal win over Evansville, Cross scored her first goal of the match in the 31st minute, by dribbling past a pair of Purple Aces and finishing with a shot inside the near post. Her second goal came early in the second half to give the Redbirds a 4-0 advantage and was her sixth of the year.
The Clinton Township, Mich., native scored two more goals in Sunday's championship game to lead the Redbirds to a 5-0 win over Missouri State. She chipped a shot over MSU goalkeeper Jessica Teahan in the 13th minute to open the scoring for ISU and netted the match's final goal in the 58th minute.
Cross ranks second on the team with eight goals this season and has scored five in her last three contests. The sophomore forward has accumulated 22 points this season and was an All-MVC Second Team honoree.
Illinois State opens NCAA Tournament play Saturday, Nov. 12, at No. 15 Milwaukee. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. CST at Engelmann Field.
GoRedbirds.com: Your online source for Illinois State Athletics, tickets, Weisbecker Scholarship Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
