McLean County Times

Illinois State University's soccer team had a successful week in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), with two players receiving weekly honors. Sophomore Erika Wells was named MVC Player of the Week, and Eve Gricius earned Valley Freshman of the Week, as announced by the league office on Tuesday.

Wells played a crucial role in Illinois State's performance last week, assisting on all three goals scored by the Redbirds. In their 2-1 victory over Valparaiso on Thursday, she provided assists for both the tying goal in the 19th minute and the game-winning goal in the 80th minute. These were her first two collegiate career assists. Wells is only the second Redbird since 2019 to achieve two assists in a single game and one of three players in the MVC to record multiple assists in a conference game this season.

On Sunday, Wells continued her form by setting up another tying goal against Murray State with an assist from a corner kick in the 87th minute, helping Illinois State secure a 1-1 draw.

Freshman Eve Gricius also made significant contributions by scoring her first career goal, which was decisive for Illinois State's win over Valparaiso. She has participated in 12 games this season and is one of three freshmen to score for the Redbirds.

The Redbirds are set to host Indiana State at Adelaide Street Field on Sunday at 1 p.m., with coverage available on ESPN+.

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