Emily Baker was named as Ohio Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced Tuesday afternoon.
Baker led the Redhawks to their first win of the season by scoring two goals in nine minutes in the second half against UT Martin. Her first goal came in the 79th minute on a free kick from 22 yards away. She scored the game winning goal in the 88th minute converting the team's first penalty kick of the season.
Baker is the first SEMO soccer player to be awarded an OVC award this season, and it is her second time being named player of the week in her career.
The win was the first for first-year head coach John Klein and the Redhawks.
As a team, the Redhawks are 13th in the country and lead the OVC in shot accuracy. On the season, they have taken 91 shots with 50 of them being on goal which makes their shot accuracy percentage at .549.
The Redhawk goalkeepers are also seventh in the country in saves per game with 7.54. Western Illinois leads the OVC at 7.57. Individually Madison Geisler leads the conference and is 4th nationally in that statistic. Holly Rimmer has added 4.33 in here three appearances in goal.
The Redhawks are back in action Thursday on the road at Western Illinois before returning home Sunday to battle with the top team in the OVC Eastern Illinois. Sunday’s home match has been billed “Sock-toberfest,” featuring a Redhawks sock giveaway, sponsored by Burrito-Ville. Kickoff is 1 p.m. on Sunday at Houck Field.
