DENVER – The Western
Athletic Conference honored Idaho soccer player Chelsea Small as its Verizon
Offensive Player of the Week after she led Idaho to a 1-0-1 record and scored
in consecutive games the week of Oct. 10-16.
Small, a junior from Solana Beach, Calif. (Torrey Pines HS),
scored on a free kick in the team’s 1-1 draw at New Mexico State on Friday,
then blasted in a header to give the Vandals a 1-0 road win at Louisiana Tech
on Sunday.
The goals add to Small’s already-school-record totals of 30
career goals, 12 game-winners and 71 points. She leads Idaho this season with
nine scores, three assists and 21 total points. Small has notched a goal in
three of the team’s last four games.
“They were both phenomenal goals, “Idaho head coach Pete
Showler said. “The free kick was a tremendous dipping shot, then the header was
just a bullet, so it was two quality goals, but more importantly, it was two
key goals at crucial times. As she’ll tell you, it came from great build-up
play, but she’s just a clinical finisher.”
Small’s scores helped Idaho run its unbeaten streak to three
games and put the team into sole possession of third place in the WAC with a
2-2-1 record and seven points with two conference matches remaining this
weekend against Utah State and Nevada.
The Vandals kick off against Utah State at 3 p.m. on Friday,
Oct. 21, and then host Nevada on Sunday, Oct. 23 in the team’s Senior Day
match. Both games will be played at Guy Wicks Field.