University of Northern Iowa Athletics
UNI soccer: Macy Smith named MVC Offensive Player of the Week
8/29/2023 11:05:00 AM | Women's Soccer
ST. LOUIS — UNI sophomore forward Macy Smith has been named the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) women's soccer Offensive Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Tuesday morning.
Tuesday's honor is the first of Smith's career. Additionally, she is the first Panther to receive MVC Offensive Player of the Week since Lauren Heinsch, who received the award at the beginning of the 2022 season. UNI has now had a player win the offensive player of the week award in consecutive seasons after not winning the award since 2018.
Smith has been an integral piece of UNI's unbeaten start. In the Panthers' two matches against Southern Utah and Western Illinois last week, the Waverly, Iowa native totaled two goals, four points and six shot attempts.
Both goals came in UNI's come-from-behind 3-2 win over Southern Utah last Tuesday, where Smith was the hero. Trailing 2-0 with 14 minutes to play, Smith put the Panthers on the board in the 76th minute with an unassisted, left-footed strike from the corner of the 18-yard box. Then in the last minute of regulation, Smith redirected a loose ball in the penalty area into the back of the net to snatch the win.
She also took two shot attempts on goal in UNI's scoreless draw at Western Illinois last Thursday, nearly breaking the deadlock with a late first half shot. Entering this season, Smith had not notched a single point in any match in her career and now is tied for the team lead with three goals scored this year.
